Today, the Empress did not appear with her usual heavy makeup and pearl-jade ornaments. Instead, she had only lightly swept her eyebrows and applied a touch of lip gloss. Her entire appearance looked pale and haggard, truly evoking pity in those who saw her.

The Emperor was accustomed to seeing the Empress’s radiant and glamorous appearance. Occasionally seeing her dressed so plainly, his large hand stroked her smooth long hair, and his heart nearly ached with tenderness.

“My treasure, my little darling, look at you—in just one day’s time, you’ve become so haggard. Are you blaming me for being incompetent, unable to obtain the Qin family’s flesh for your beauty preservation?”

The Empress rested against the Emperor’s knee, her long hair scattered across his lap. Looking up at the Emperor, she spoke softly and weakly: “How could this subject blame Your Majesty? This subject only laments her poor fortune—ultimately unable to overcome that person with the ‘blessed fate’ calculated by Tianji Zi. This subject simply doesn’t understand: clearly Tianji Zi first calculated that this subject could use the Qin family’s flesh for beauty preservation, so why did he suddenly calculate that the Qin family has an extremely good fate and is a protective charm that can ensure Great Yan’s stability? This subject only feels that Tianji Zi’s words contradict each other, which is very puzzling.”

“Indeed. I feel the same way. Perhaps those outside worldly concerns don’t think too deeply when acting. The calculation that using the Qin family’s flesh can preserve beauty is true, and that the Qin family’s fate can protect the kingdom’s stability is also true.”

Because the Emperor had taken the immortal pills refined by Tianji Zi, his body gradually became healthy, his spirits soared like a dragon and horse, and he became even more vigorous in bed. Having personally experienced the power of Tianji Zi’s medicines, combined with Tianji Zi’s long-standing reputation, the Emperor never doubted Tianji Zi’s abilities.

Therefore, when Tianji Zi said that Qin Yining was born auspicious and her existence could ensure the kingdom’s stability, the Emperor believed it without question.

Moreover, he had just planned to order people to spread rumors among the people that “Qin Yining is a fox demon who has descended to disturb the mortal world and must be dealt with to ensure Great Yan’s long-term peace and stability.” Before he could even act, Tianji Zi had already announced Qin Yining’s true fate. This was sufficient proof of Tianji Zi’s divine calculations and his clear insight into all matters.

If Tianji Zi’s calculations weren’t accurate, how could the timing be so coincidental, speaking up just before the Emperor issued his edict?

In the Emperor’s view, Tianji Zi was wholeheartedly loyal, using this method to protect the Qin family and thereby stabilize Great Yan’s kingdom.

As the Son of Heaven, even if he didn’t believe that the existence of a small woman like Qin Yining could truly guarantee the Yan Dynasty would stand for a thousand years without falling—having been beaten by Great Zhou without any ability to fight back for so long—now that such a “lucky charm” had appeared, the Emperor was very willing to believe this explanation was true.

Having served the Emperor for many years, how could the Empress not understand the Emperor’s thoughts? When the Emperor moved an eyebrow, she could guess his thinking!

The Emperor didn’t know that Tianji Zi had never calculated that Qin Yining’s flesh could preserve beauty—it was a fabrication she had created after threatening Tianji Zi. Naturally, he couldn’t know the true depths of the situation. Yet she couldn’t explain to the Emperor something like “Tianji Zi first agreed to help me then tricked me.” Therefore, this time the Empress truly had to swallow this bitter loss in silence.

“If Your Majesty says so, then naturally that’s how it is.” The Empress suppressed her unwillingness, holding back a belly full of anger, and tears of grievance flowed down: “This subject only feels that this subject’s fate is not good. The other day Your Majesty reprimanded Wang Yuxian, and my father lost one of his few capable disciples. This subject’s family has few male descendants, and we rely on several disciples to support our reputation. With Wang Yuxian reprimanded by Your Majesty, this subject was mocked in the rear palace. When this subject wanted to preserve her beauty to feel happy, the Qin family became untouchable. This subject’s heart feels so sad.”

Hearing the Empress’s delicate voice, the Emperor’s heart melted like water. “Yu Rou, my treasure, what would make you happy? As long as I can manage it, I’ll agree to everything. However, you cannot have the Qin family for beauty preservation—I still need to keep her to ensure our Great Yan’s peace. How about you try someone else?”

The Empress’s eyes turned, and she spoke coquettishly: “This subject was thinking the same thing. Tianji Zi calculated that it requires a yin-natured beauty. Don’t we have many such people in our palace? This subject observes that Noble Consort Shu is extremely beautiful and also has a June birthday, presumably not much different from that Qin family member?”

The Emperor had nearly forgotten who Noble Consort Shu was and couldn’t even remember what she looked like. Hearing the Empress say this, he immediately nodded: “Do as you please, you little thing. I won’t interfere. Let alone Noble Consort Shu—even if you used all the beauties in the rear palace for beauty preservation, I would be willing to part with them.”

“Does Your Majesty truly mean this?” The Empress immediately perked up, sitting straight and wrapping her arms around the Emperor’s neck.

“Naturally I mean it.” The Emperor generously kissed the beauty’s lips.

The Empress immediately beamed with joy and began playing and laughing with the Emperor contentedly.

“What did you say? The Empress chopped up Noble Consort Shu and steamed her, then threw Imperial Concubine Xiang directly into a large pot and deep-fried her?” Qin Yining was so shocked that she dropped her teacup, frightening Er’Bai so much that he jumped and buried his head in Qin Yining’s lap.

Qin Yining absent-mindedly stroked Er’Bai’s fluffy little head while staring blankly and murmuring: “This monster, this beast!”

Bingtang nodded with a pale face: “After this servant heard it, she also felt it was truly too horrifying. It’s said that after the Empress cooked Noble Consort Shu and Imperial Concubine Xiang, she even invited the Emperor to taste them together. This servant… ugh!” Before finishing her words, she was already retching with nausea.

Qin Yining also felt her throat churning and struggled for a long time to suppress the urge to vomit.

She had escaped disaster, but unexpectedly the Empress had turned her target toward the palace concubines.

How could the Emperor be so foolish as to let the Empress act without restraint?

“Noble Consort Shu’s father is Minister Yuan of the Ministry of Justice’s Left Vice Minister, and Imperial Concubine Xiang’s father is Minister Wang, Right Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. Having lost their beloved daughters, how could they let this matter rest? The Ministry of Justice and the Censorate… The Emperor truly is a tyrant, willing to disregard everything for the sake of doting on an empress!”

Qin Yining gritted her teeth, at times grieving for those two fallen young lives, at times resenting the Empress’s viciousness, and her complexion became extremely ugly.

Song Lan and Qiu Lu accompanied her, both frightened pale. Even Ji Yun, who had seen much of the world, felt chills in her heart upon hearing such matters.

“If not for Miss’s quick reaction, Miss might not even be here now.” Song Lan wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

Qin Yining nodded, placing the snow-white Er’Bai on the eight-immortals table. Looking into Er’Bai’s pair of clear, bright eyes, she pondered for a moment, and her gaze gradually became determined.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine now, aren’t I? The Empress being so vicious has actually made me see reality clearly. She failed to harm me this time and killed others to vent her anger. I expect she’ll never let me go in the future. She cannot touch me, but who can guarantee she won’t harm our family members?”

Qin Yining stood up, her pale hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes. “I must strike first.”

She must kill that demon empress first!

Otherwise, the Qin family would never have peace!