Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

The brilliant sun made the lake’s surface glitter, and a mountain breeze swept past, carrying away all vexing worries.

Lying under a tree in the afternoon, enjoying the shade, gazing at the scenery, and feeling the gentle breeze—this should have been the most pleasant of experiences.

But, of course, someone just had to be difficult and go get all emo.

Xiao Yang watched the red figure standing in the shade of a tree. His crimson robes were incredibly conspicuous against the landscape, yet because he stood in the shadows, a gloomy pall was cast over the bright color, making even his golden mask lose its luster.

Xiao Yang swung her feet as she munched on a piece of fruit.

"Can we talk about your master?"

Ling Ji glanced up at Xiao Yang. If it had been any other woman here today, she would never have served so docilely. But this person was the Emperor.

The Emperor ruled the world, held absolute power, and was surrounded by countless men.

It was her master who was forcing the issue.

Even if she believed her master was perfect in a million ways, she couldn’t, in good conscience, say the Emperor was unworthy of him.

Besides, the two of them clearly had a history she knew nothing about. ’Perhaps she’s the cure my master needs.’

Even she found her own secret flicker of jealousy too shameful to acknowledge.

"I have followed my master for ten years, and I had never heard him mention Your Majesty before."

Xiao Yang chuckled. ’This girl is clever, trying to probe me for information in return.’

"If you don’t want to talk about it, then don’t." It wasn’t as if she absolutely had to know Mu Yunlian’s past.

’Getting to know a man too well is a very dangerous thing.’

Ling Ji hesitated for a moment before her cool, detached voice drifted over. "I cannot tell you what my master has been doing all these years. His daily routine is just business—checking the books, expanding his shops."

"As his business grew, he offended many people, so he constantly has to deal with all sorts of crises."

"When he isn’t busy, my master prefers peace and quiet."

She looked toward Mu Yunlian, who was still leaning against the tree. "My master has things weighing on his mind, but he never tells anyone. After all these years, none of us has ever truly understood him."

’My master is brilliant. He started with nothing and now possesses wealth to rival a nation. Few in this world can compare to him.’

’Anyone else who reached his position would surely have wives and concubines in droves, with countless children besides.’

’But my master doesn’t crave indulgence; he prefers the quiet.’

’He often keeps to himself, as if his soul is wandering outside this world. He’s right there in front of you, yet he seems so ethereal, so impossible to grasp.’

’Even I, who have always been by his side, have never been able to breach that barrier around him.’

However... She glanced up at Xiao Yang.

’Before, I only thought my master was like that, but now I realize Her Majesty is very similar to him.’

’Though she is different from my master—her eyes sparkle, and she’s so vibrant and full of life—her emotions are too shallow.’

’They’re like a thin mist, just enough to conceal her cool indifference and detachment.’

’It makes everyone think she’s sweet and approachable, but in reality, she isn’t close to anyone.’

’She and my master are the same kind of people. And now he has risked being hunted by the whole of Da Wei just to steal her away.’

"Your Majesty, are you capable of loving someone?"

Xiao Yang looked at her. "Who isn’t capable of liking someone?"

’That’s definitely not what I meant,’ Ling Ji thought.

"I mean, is there anyone Your Majesty truly loves?"

"Yes."

Xiao Yang answered without a hint of hesitation.

Xiao Yang tilted her head and looked at her, her smile dazzlingly bright and her gaze sincere. "I like many people. I like you, too."

Ling Ji: "..."

’What in the world? Did the Emperor actually mean that?’

’Her gaze and her words were so sincere, it was impossible to doubt them in the slightest.’

"I... I’m not talking about that kind of liking. I mean the kind between a man and a woman, the for-a-lifetime kind of love."

Xiao Yang looked at her and suddenly burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Hahaha... Silly girl."

Xiao Yang suddenly reached out and patted Ling Ji’s head. "How cute."

Xiao Yang wasn’t being sarcastic. It was just that, with her experience, she found people who believed in love and forever to be naively charming.

She didn’t deny that undying love existed, but it had nothing to do with her. She didn’t believe in it, nor did she need it.

"I like many people, and I believe in romantic love, but I’m very selfish. The person I love most in this world is myself."

"Parents, lovers—none of them can come before me, to say nothing of friends or subjects. All relationships are forged by mutual interest and will inevitably dissolve when those interests diverge. Loving anyone is a risk. Only loving yourself is a surefire investment."

Ling Ji opened her mouth, but found she couldn’t refute a single word.

’Indifferent? Selfish? In reality, it was a clarity that saw through everything.’

’No wonder they say an Emperor is heartless.’

’Then again, she was both affectionate and affectionless, loving everyone and no one. It was hard to describe.’

Ling Ji looked at her master, still under the tree. She had never imagined that someone like him could also suffer from unrequited love...

Mu Yunlian returned, and they resumed their journey.

He joined Xiao Yang in the carriage again. Once inside, he read letters, reviewed ledgers, and after handling some business, he picked up a book.

He was the one who had abducted Xiao Yang, yet now he was giving her the cold shoulder.

His entire being screamed a single word: petulant.

Xiao Yang had already slapped him, so she didn’t hold much resentment anymore. But given their current status, they had nothing to say to each other. Most of the time, they sat in silence. Eventually, Xiao Yang would fall asleep, and Mu Yunlian, frustrated, would leave to ride his horse. When Xiao Yang woke up, the person beside her would be Ling Ji.

Ling Ji was an ice beauty who didn’t talk much.

But not talking much didn’t mean she didn’t want to talk at all.

Her master never spoke on the journey, and their five companions were all the silent type, which made the days drag on. In the end, Xiao Yang ironically became her only conversation partner.

Having been undercover in the palace for a few days, she knew a bit about Xiao Yang’s preferences. If Xiao Yang raised a hand, Ling Ji knew whether to offer tea or water. If she stretched out a leg, Ling Ji would immediately go over to massage it.

They never chatted up a storm, but by exchanging a few words here and there, they managed to carry on conversations.

And just like that, after only two days, Xiao Yang was ready to take Ling Ji as her teacher and learn that elegant Qinggong of hers.

That night, Mu Yunlian sent Ling Ji away and pulled Xiao Yang to her feet.

"What are you doing?"

Mu Yunlian said, "Don’t you want to learn Ling Ji’s Misty Illusion Step? I can teach you, too."

He pulled Xiao Yang outside, where he demonstrated the technique for her. He was genuinely, and seriously, teaching her.

Xiao Yang’s heart stirred. A distant memory flashed through her mind: she was in a library, frowning over a problem, and that person immediately leaned in. "Let me see... For this one, you can start by thinking about it like this..."

Xiao Yang said nothing and focused on practicing the steps.

She already had a foundation in martial arts, so as long as she understood the core principles of the technique, it was easy for her to learn.

Still, she was new to it and had a moment of poor control. She accidentally flipped over a wall, lost her footing, and came tumbling down.

Mu Yunlian instantly vaulted over the wall, his eyes filled with urgency. But once he saw the situation clearly, that urgency suddenly vanished.

Ling Ji had caught the falling Xiao Yang, holding her securely in her arms.

Ling Ji held her perfectly steady, with Xiao Yang’s arm draped around her neck. The intimacy of the pose was practically blinding.

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