Chapter 64

Xiao Changyuan charged into Sishan County on his steed.
As soon as he entered the city gates, he heard the distinct barking of Buling Buling.
Xiao Changyuan’s expression tightened. Gripping the reins, he galloped toward the source of the sound. Rounding a street corner, he saw Buling Buling sprinting desperately toward him, chased closely by a group of burly men dressed as servants.
These men wielded long blades, their faces scarred with scratches, their expressions fierce and menacing.
Beside Buling Buling, there was no sign of Yun Pianpian.
She might be in danger.
At this thought, Xiao Changyuan’s heart clenched violently.
His eyes bloodshot, he raised his cold blade, infused it with sharp inner strength, and slashed fiercely at the servants. His blade was swift and merciless, carrying a chilling, deadly intent. The foremost servant was cleaved in two, blood splattering across the ground.
The remaining servants were all struck by the blade’s force, coughing up blood and collapsing dead.
Xiao Changyuan didn’t even glance at the fallen ants.
His gaze fixed intensely on Buling Buling, his eyes crimson with rage.
“Where is Pianpian?”
“Awoo, woof!”
Buling Buling’s moist dog eyes showed urgent distress.
It immediately turned and ran, leading the way. Xiao Changyuan understood at once, tightened his grip on the reins, and followed grimly on horseback.
Buling Buling had left its mark on both of its masters, a scent of recognition. Even from thousands of miles away, it could still find them. Its figure darted swiftly through the streets and alleys like lightning.
Soon, following Yun Pianpian’s scent, it led Xiao Changyuan into a narrow alley.
Before Buling Buling could guide him fully inside, Xiao Changyuan heard Yun Pianpian’s crying voice.
“My husband will not let you get away with this!”
Her voice was filled with helpless terror and overwhelming despair.
Xiao Changyuan’s heart tightened, his lips pressed into a thin line. He leaped from his horse, overtook Buling Buling, and used his lightness skill to reach the alley.
There, he witnessed a scene that plunged him into an icy abyss.
That repulsive man had seized Yun Pianpian’s hand and was trying to tear her clothes.
Xiao Changyuan’s heart seemed to stop, his blood ran cold, his mind went blank.
Gripping his cold blade, his eyes blazing red, he charged forward and swung the blade fiercely, severing the man’s head.
Blood gushed out and filthy blood splattered across Yun Pianpian’s delicate, beautiful face.
She was terrified, her face as pale as frost, she collapsed to the ground.
Dazedly, she lifted her head and looked at him.
In her clear, luminous eyes lingered fear and despair that had not yet faded.
Xiao Changyuan’s heart was instantly seized violently by her hopeless gaze.
He had never seen Yun Pianpian so frightened before.
His Pianpian should be nestled in his arms like a kitten, alighting among vibrant flowers like a butterfly.
She should be as radiant as the spring sunlight.
She should not have to endure such cruel and terrifying things.
Thinking of the scene from earlier, Xiao Changyuan’s heart could not help but tremble with lingering fear.
If he had arrived just a moment later, if he hadn’t made it in time, How frightened would his Pianpian have been?
Xiao Changyuan knew he should hold her, embrace her tightly in his arms, and comfort her gently: [Don’t be afraid, my wife. Your husband has come to save you.]
But when he thought of this wretched woman’s deceit toward him,
Xiao Changyuan’s words, on the verge of being spoken, turned into a cold and menacing threat.
“Do you still dare to run away?”
He could not afford to be soft, hearted toward this woman, he needed to keep her firmly in his grasp.
He wanted to teach her a lesson, to make her never dare to escape his embrace again.
Hearing his icy tone, the woman indeed burst into tears, trembling with fear.
She threw herself into his arms, clutching him tightly with both hands.
Her body trembled uncontrollably.
He was satisfied to hear her soft, delicate voice say “I don’t dare anymore.”
Xiao Changyuan tossed aside the bloodstained cold blade in his hand.
The sharp blade clattered crisply as it hit the ground.
He reached out with his pale, slender fingers and pulled Yun Pianpian’s trembling form tightly into his embrace.
Feeling the warmth and softness in his arms, Xiao Changyuan’s heart finally began to beat again.
The stagnant blood once more flowed through his body.
He held her so tightly, as if clutching his entire world, his hands unconsciously tightening. Xiao Changyuan wanted to press her into his bones, to merge her into his very blood. He feared that if he didn’t hold her tightly enough, this wretched woman would slip from his embrace once more.
“You are not allowed to leave me.”
Xiao Changyuan’s cold voice carried a hint of hoarseness.
In his arms, Yun Pianpian nodded tearfully, again and again.
“I will never leave you, my husband.”
Yun Pianpian felt that Xiao Changyuan’s grip was too strong.
He held her too tightly, so tightly that she could barely breathe.
Yet, she did not want to resist, because the world outside was far too dangerous.
In his embrace, she instead felt a sense of security, a feeling of being completely and absolutely controlled.
She knew he was her armor.
Yun Pianpian wiped the blood from her face onto Xiao Changyuan’s dragon robe.
The thick, sticky liquid felt like sulfuric acid, eating away at her brightness and corroding her fragile heart.
It seemed to her that the more she wiped, the more the bloodstains spread.
Terrified, Yun Pianpian began to cry.
She lifted her tear, filled eyes, looking up at Xiao Changyuan for help.
“Husband, I don’t want this blood…”
Xiao Changyuan heard the fear in her voice.
He frowned slightly.
Raising his hand, he carefully used his sleeve to wipe the blood from her face.
Yun Pianpian asked nervously, “Is it gone? Is there any left?”
Xiao Changyuan saw her wet, almond, shaped eyes brimming with fear and panic.
A pang of regret struck him.
He shouldn’t have been so impulsive, killing someone right in front of Yun Pianpian.
He should have covered her eyes first, taken her somewhere clean before dealing with that insignificant pest. But in that moment, rage had clouded his mind. He had forgotten how timid his Pianpian was, how she feared the sight of human blood.
His mind had gone blank.
All he could think of was killing the lowlife who dared to threaten Yun Pianpian.
He had forgotten her feelings.
He was wrong.
Damn it.
Pressing his thin lips together, Xiao Changyuan said, “I’ll take you to wash your face.”
Yun Pianpian, her eyes red-rimmed, nodded in his arms.
Xiao Changyuan scooped her up and carried her out of the dark, blood, soaked alley. Yun Pianpian’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as she nestled quietly against his chest, one hand clutching tightly at the front of his robe, the other still frantically wiping at the blood on her face.
Buling Buling trailed silently behind them.
The soldiers, who had just arrived at the alley’s entrance, watched as Xiao Changyuan emerged slowly from the shadows, holding a delicate woman in his arms. The bright summer sunlight fell upon the emperor’s cold, jade, like face, making him look like an unattainable deity descended to earth.
Instinctively, the soldiers lowered their heads and dropped to their knees, not daring to look up at the woman in his arms.
They could guess, this woman was their empress.
Xiao Changyuan had stayed up all night searching for her. Everyone knew how deeply the emperor loved his empress. Just hearing the name “Chu Yi” from her lips had driven him to beat the man to death at Prince Rui’s coronation ceremony.
The soldiers feared that if their names ever left the empress’s mouth, they would meet the same fate as Chu Yi.
They buried their faces deep against their chests, not even daring to breathe loudly, terrified of drawing the empress’s attention.
Though they had never met her, in their eyes, the empress had become the embodiment of the underworld’s envoys of death.
Whoever’s name she spoke would die.
She was more terrifying than the King of Hell himself.
Nestled in Xiao Changyuan’s arms, Yun Pianpian heard the rustle of the soldiers kneeling. She lifted her gaze and looked toward them. They seemed terrified, she could see cold sweat beading on several of their faces.
She felt a flicker of confusion.
She assumed they were afraid of Xiao Changyuan.
After all, he was a bloodthirsty tyrant.
No one could help but fear him.
Yun Pianpian withdrew her gaze and focused again on wiping the blood from her face, rubbing so hard her cheeks nearly broke skin.
Xiao Changyuan frowned slightly at her actions. He lifted her onto the horse, mounted it himself, and pulled Yun Pianpian into his embrace. With one hand holding the reins and the other gripping Yun Pianpian’s hands, he said in a low voice, “Stop wiping.”
Yun Pianpian heard the cold severity in his tone.
Terrified, she shrank her neck, her face as pale as snow.
Tears welled in her eyes, her lashes trembling slightly as she stammered, “I, I won’t wipe anymore.”
Xiao Changyuan’s handsome face turned icy. He tightened the reins, spurred the horse, and rode off with Yun Pianpian.
Buling Buling followed closely behind.
The soldiers trailed after them in succession.
When they reached the inn, Xiao Changyuan had hot water prepared. Gripping Yun Pianpian’s chin, he personally wiped her cheeks with meticulous care, as if polishing a delicate piece of porcelain. He focused intently, wiping for a long time until not a trace of blood remained. Only then did he set down the warm, damp towel and said to Yun Pianpian, “Pianpian, it’s clean now. There’s no blood on your face.”
Yun Pianpian didn’t believe him and rushed to the bronze mirror to check. Seeing that there were indeed no red marks on her face, she finally felt relieved.
Xiao Changyuan carried Yun Pianpian downstairs and out of the inn. Outside, the ground was crowded with kneeling people, all bowing their heads to the ground. Xiao Changyuan placed Yun Pianpian on the horse, mounted it himself, and held her close in his arms. Gripping the reins tightly, he rode back to the capital on his steed.
Buling Buling followed behind the two.
The soldiers marched in a grand procession toward the capital.
From Sishan County to the capital, a carriage would take over three hours, but on a fast horse, it took just over an hour.
A little more than an hour later, they arrived in the capital, and Xiao Changyuan took Yun Pianpian directly back to the palace.
The palace gates were already filled with a dense crowd of kneeling servants. Liu Shun, having received the news in advance, had arranged for the imperial palanquin to be prepared and was waiting at the palace gates for Xiao Changyuan’s return. As the servants knelt on the ground and Xiao Changyuan’s horse arrived, they shouted in unison, “Long live the Emperor!”
“Welcome back to the palace, Your Majesty! Welcome back to the palace, Your Majesty the Empress!”
Hearing their voices, Yun Pianpian lifted her head from Xiao Changyuan’s embrace.
She looked at the crowd of servants, then raised her eyes to gaze at the majestic, magnificent palace.
Suddenly, Yun Pianpian felt a shortness of breath in her chest.
The vermilion palace walls and golden glazed tiles resembled a massive cage, slowly opening its door to her.
And she was a caged bird with no chance of escape, no possibility of breaking free anymore.
Xiao Changyuan carried Yun Pianpian to the imperial palanquin. The servants lifted it and proceeded toward the emperor’s bedchamber.
Arriving at the bedchamber, Xiao Changyuan carried Yun Pianpian inside, ordered the servants to prepare sleeping robes, dismissed all attendants, and forbade any palace maid from entering to serve.
The palace was adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, resplendent and magnificent, with golden tiles covering the floor.
Sheer silk curtains hung down from the beams.
Within the bedchamber was a bathing pool, exquisitely crafted from fine white jade, breathtakingly beautiful, filled with warm spring water and enveloped in a misty steam.
Xiao Changyuan carried Yun Pianpian around the purple sandalwood screen inlaid with jade, carved cloud and dragon patterns, arriving at the edge of the white jade pool.
He removed his blood, stained robes, held her delicate, soft body, and slowly entered the pool.
Yun Pianpian nestled lazily in his arms like a kitten, even more obedient than before.
Xiao Changyuan picked up a warm towel and gently washed her body.
Curled in his embrace, Yun Pianpian occasionally extended her slender, fair fingers to wipe her rosy, smooth cheeks with water, repeatedly seeking confirmation from him.
“Husband, is the blood really gone from my face?”
Xiao Changyuan lowered his head and kissed her damp eyelashes. “It's gone, Pianpian. You must believe me.”
Yun Pianpian nodded, lowered her eyelashes, remained quiet for a moment, then reached out again to wipe her cheeks with water.
Seeing her actions, Xiao Changyuan slightly furrowed his brow.
They soaked in the pool for a long time, until Yun Pianpian's fair, tender skin took on a rosy hue. Xiao Changyuan wanted to lift her out, but Yun Pianpian struggled and said, “Husband, I want to soak a little longer.”
Xiao Changyuan frowned. “If you soak any longer, your skin will wrinkle and peel.”
Yun Pianpian lowered her eyelashes and said weakly, “But I don’t want to get out.”
Xiao Changyuan asked, “Why don’t you want to get out?”
Yun Pianpian raised her clear, sparkling almond, shaped eyes to look at him. “I feel like the bloodstains on my face haven’t been washed off yet.”
Xiao Changyuan pressed his lips together and said, “Pianpian, your face is already very clean.”
Yun Pianpian bit her red lips and said, “No, the blood must still be on my face. I can feel its stickiness, its warmth. I can even smell it. The blood is clinging to my skin. Our eyes can’t see it, but it must be there.”
Xiao Changyuan lowered his head and kissed her red lips.
A hint of mist gathered in Yun Pianpian’s almond eyes.
Xiao Changyuan released her lips and continuously kissed her cheeks, flushed pink from the warm spring water.
“Pianpian, it’s not there. Only my kisses are on your face.”
Yun Pianpian cried, “But when I close my eyes, I remember that head with its eyes wide open, and his blood splattered on my face.”
Xiao Changyuan kissed her tear, dampened eyelashes, his voice low and hoarse.
“Pianpian, close your eyes and feel me.”
Yun Pianpian obediently closed her eyes. She trusted Xiao Changyuan completely. In the darkness, her sense of touch became more acute. She felt him cup the back of her head, lower his head, and kiss her red lips. Holding her body, he slowly sank deeper.
The warm spring water gradually submerged her shoulders, her chin, her nose, her ears, until her entire body was pressed to the bottom of the pool. She could hear no sounds, see no images.
All her attention focused on their intertwined lips, the oxygen in her chest gradually taken away by him.
She felt as if she were suffocating.
A sudden panic arose within her.
It was a natural fear of death.
Her heartbeat accelerated sharply.
Yun Pianpian stretched out her fair, delicate hand underwater, desperately trying to push against Xiao Changyuan's chest.
But Xiao Changyuan held her tightly.
She couldn't move.
Yun Pianpian's heart raced with fear, tears streaming down her face in terror.
Yet her tears quickly dissolved into the warm spring water.
Yun Pianpian felt as though Xiao Changyuan had murderous intentions toward her.
He wanted her to die beneath the water, he wanted to kill her.
The fear of drowning in her heart was gradually replaced by a fear of Xiao Changyuan.
Her head began to spin, her strength to resist waned, and she lost all energy, her small hand dropping weakly. Yun Pianpian was utterly heartbroken, tears still flowing uncontrollably. She thought Xiao Changyuan was going to kill her.
Just as she was at the peak of her despair, Xiao Changyuan suddenly lifted her out of the water.
Yun Pianpian emerged from the enclosed depths to the misty surface.
Her eyes were red and damp, clutching her chest as she gasped greedily for fresh air.
Only at this moment did she realize how precious air truly was.
Xiao Changyuan lowered his head to kiss her flushed earlobe, his voice cool and ethereal, as if drifting from the clouds.
“Pianpian, tell me, who in this world is the most fearsome?”
Hearing his voice and recalling what he had just done to her, Yun Pianpian trembled uncontrollably.
Though she was in the warm, humid bath, her soul felt as if it had suddenly frozen over.
He had wanted to kill her just moments ago.
Xiao Changyuan bit her soft earlobe twice, hard.
This was his punishment for her.
A cold voice whispered by her ear “Answer me.”
Yun Pianpian paled with fear, her delicate body trembling lightly “Hus-husband is the most fearsome.”
Xiao Changyuan's voice was low and hoarse, coaxing her gently.
“Then who should Pianpian fear?”
Yun Pianpian's eyes were red at the corners, her lashes fluttering as she whispered, “I, I should fear my husband.”
Xiao Changyuan narrowed his phoenix eyes. “My Pianpian is so clever.”
He released her poor ear, pinched her snow, white chin, and affectionately kissed her red lips.
She knew this was his reward for her.
“Pianpian, you must remember.”
The man's icy, deep voice echoed, like jade cracking and pearls shattering.
“My woman can only fear me alone.”
Yun Pianpian's lips trembled with fear, rendering her speechless.
Xiao Changyuan seemed immensely pleased by her terrified state. He scooped her up by the waist from the bathing pool, draped a night robe over her, and carried her toward the dragon bed.
A golden crane, shaped incense burner emitted a faint scent of ambergris, the smoke curled and twined like delicate silk threads.
The bedchamber doors were tightly shut.
A sudden, inexplicable breeze swept through and the smoke dispersed.
Golden sheer curtains draped over the dragon bed.
Xiao Changyuan appeared to have fallen asleep, his long arm rested on Yun Pianpian's slender waist, his dark lashes lowered, his phoenix eyes narrowed.
The emperor's handsome face was as cold and flawless as jade.
His long, thick black eyelashes cast shadows beneath his eyes, lending him a surprisingly docile appearance.
Yun Pianpian, utterly exhausted, was on the verge of slipping into unconsciousness when a distant electronic voice echoed in her mind.
[Ding! Host, I'm back!]
Yun Pianpian froze, then almost immediately surged with wild joy.
[System, where have you been? Why did you only appear now?]
[Recently, there was an issue with the Group System. One of the targets destroyed the headquarters, and our Tyrant's White Moonlight System was affected as well. According to our records, you have completed the mission. Would you like to submit it? After submission, you can return to the modern world.]
Yun Pianpian’s expression faltered upon hearing this.
[How do I submit the mission?]
[The reason a white moonlight becomes a white moonlight is because they die young. All you need to do is die in front of Xiao Changyuan and present him with your cold corpse. That will complete the final step of becoming his white moonlight…] The system paused, its emotionless electronic tone suddenly taking on a seductive quality.
[Crown the moonlight with death.]
Yun Pianpian’s eyelashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes.
She stared blankly at the golden canopy above, her moist almond, shaped eyes gradually grew distant.
Crown the moonlight…with death.