CHAPTER 31: CHAPTER 30: I WILL PUNISH YOU SEVERELY

"Greetings to the Emperor!"

Xia Ruqing stepped forward to pay her respects, as meek as a little lamb.

Zhao Junyao had already finished with state affairs. Now dressed in casual attire, he was sitting on the couch, reading some light literature.

"Rise!"

He put down the book in his hand and beckoned her over.

"Come here!"

Xia Ruqing walked over, quivering.

She knew Consort Yun had lodged a complaint, but she didn’t know how the Emperor would punish her! Why is he still so gentle with me? Could it be... the calm before the storm?

Xia Ruqing grew even more frightened, her slender body trembling slightly.

Zhao Junyao was somewhat puzzled. "Are you very cold?"

The room is heated by a Ground Dragon; it isn’t cold at all!

"No... not... this servant is not cold!"

But this servant is terrified! I haven’t figured out what the Emperor is thinking, so I daren’t speak rashly!

Zhao Junyao gave a faint smile and drew her to his side.

"Scared?"

Xia Ruqing complained inwardly. How does he know everything?!

She kept her head low, twiddling her fingers, and remained silent.

Seeing her demeanor, Zhao Junyao felt a surge of pity. He stretched out an arm, embraced her, and asked with a smile, "Why are you afraid now? When you offended Consort Yun, why weren’t you scared then?"

"Emperor!"

Xia Ruqing looked up, her eyes filled with panic. Has it come? Has the storm arrived?

"Emperor... this servant did not intend to offend Consort Yun!" Xia Ruqing knelt, biting her lip as she spoke. "If you decide to punish me, could you... be a little gentler? Please don’t subject this servant to cruel torture..."

She remembered Xiao Xizi saying that the Punishment Department truly had cruel tortures!

The Emperor is young, a Son of Heaven, and precisely at the age to fly into a rage for a beauty. For a favored consort, it’s entirely possible for him to have an Honored Lady beaten or killed!

Zhao Junyao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter.

This girl! What kind of thought process does she have?! With her frail physique, forget cruel torture; even *that thing*... could leave her bedridden for days! HAHAHA... Amusing!

Zhao Junyao laughed heartily, while Xia Ruqing was utterly baffled. What is happening?!

"Emperor, what are you laughing at?"

She suddenly became less scared. The Emperor is laughing; perhaps the outcome won’t be so bad after all!

After laughing his fill, Zhao Junyao composed himself and cleared his throat twice.

His expression grew solemn as he said, "Tell me exactly what happened. As for punishing you, I have My own judgment!"

This little girl is too amusing; I want to tease her!

Xia Ruqing didn’t dare look at him. Kneeling on the ground, she silently pitied her knees for two seconds.

Finally, her voice filled with grievance, she described the events again, word by word.

After finishing, she added, "Consort Yun was the first to call me ugly, and she even threw down the flowers I’d picked! I..."

"She bullied me like that! Of course, I couldn’t just sit there and take it, so I..."

Though my status is low, I’m not someone to be trampled on! I don’t owe anyone anything!

"So, you’re saying Consort Yun acted improperly. However, she is, after all, a Second Rank Consort. Your offending her shows a lack of respect for rank and seniority!"

Having said that, he put on a stern face and spoke in a heavy tone, "According to the rules, I... must punish you severely!"

Xia Ruqing’s heart sank. It’s over!

Severe punishment? She had no tears left to cry, only able to silently pray. Please, don’t let it be cruel torture!

"Emperor, how... how will you punish me severely?" Xia Ruqing asked, trembling with trepidation.

I feel like I’m walking a tightrope over a precipice; one false step and I’ll fall, my life forfeit!

Zhao Junyao saw that she was about to cry, her petite body curled into a ball, and his heart softened.

"I’m just teasing you!"

Saying this, he pulled her up.

He shifted back a little. They sat close together on the couch, and he held her in his arms.

The familiar scent of ambergris filled her nostrils. It was both startling and delightful. This, coupled with the immense emotional shift and the grievances she had previously suffered, caused Xia Ruqing to cry out. WAH.

Zhao Junyao was stunned for a moment, and then he panicked.

It was the first time he had seen someone cry like this.

In the past, their crying had always been of the ’pear blossom bathed in rain’ variety. He was used to it and had become immune to ’women’s tears.’

No matter how those women cried before him, their tears couldn’t stir the slightest pity in his heart. It only made him more annoyed!

But now...

"Don’t... don’t cry!" Zhao Junyao pleaded, feeling somewhat helpless.

"It was my fault, I won’t tease you anymore..."

Xia Ruqing continued to cry, tears and snot streaming down her face!

It’s so unfair! Why is my fate so miserable?! In my last life, I hardly had any good days, but that was tolerable! What about this life? It’s even worse! Being bullied by others, and I still have to worry about preserving my own life! To stay alive, I have to scheme and calculate all day long! All I want is to live a decent life; why is it so hard?

Xia Ruqing felt another surge of sorrow. WAH WAH...

Zhao Junyao was completely flustered and filled with regret. She’s just a timid young girl; why did I scare her? A mighty ruler of a nation, bullying a little girl... How could I do such a thing?!

"Or... or you can hit me?"

Flustered, Zhao Junyao pulled her hand, urging her to pound his chest.

Xia Ruqing was crying too hard to care about much else.

Venting her emotions, she pounded on Zhao Junyao’s chest.

"It’s all your fault! All your fault! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have ended up in this wretched place!"

"It’s all your fault!"

In this wretched place, everyone wants to bully me! I miss Grandma so much! I want to go home so badly!

Xia Ruqing cried even harder, sobbing and striking him at the same time!

Zhao Junyao didn’t even furrow his brow.

He simply held her and said in a gentle, earnest voice, "It’s all my fault! I shouldn’t have scared you!"

After a while, Xia Ruqing finished crying, having let out all her emotions.

Lying on his chest, she refused to lift her head.

"Emperor, I’ve soiled your clothes!" His chest is all wet with my tears, and... snot! My makeup is ruined by tears, my face more colorful than a palette! I’m too embarrassed to be seen!

Zhao Junyao’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice inexplicably husky.

"It doesn’t matter! Are you... feeling better?!"

"I feel much better, Emperor... Did I hurt you?"

Xia Ruqing said this, reaching out to touch his chest, intending to rub it for him.

Her soft hand had barely touched his chest when Zhao Junyao shuddered, and his arms suddenly tightened.

Xia Ruqing was held firmly in his embrace.

"Emperor?"

She was a bit perplexed.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No... no!"

His voice became even huskier, his Adam’s apple rolled again, and his breathing grew heavier by two degrees.

He had practiced martial arts since childhood, was adept with bow and horse, and his muscles were well-toned.

To say Xia Ruqing was hitting him was an overstatement; it was more like... she was tickling him!

No woman had ever dared to do such a thing before. Xia Ruqing... was the first!

The sensation was simply... indescribable!

Finally, the moment her slender hand touched his chest, the thrill was like a spark igniting a wildfire, instantly blazing out of control!

"Emperor...?" Xia Ruqing called out weakly again.

"Xia Ruqing, I... must punish you properly!"

He suddenly lifted her and headed for the inner room.