Chapter 20 - Eruption

Di Shihua took a closer look, only then recognizing that she had actually offended Jin wang‘s person.

She had been spoiled since young and had long been accustomed to acting arrogant. The elders at home never scolded her, and encountering this type of situation today, she panicked.

Mu Huai looked down at the kneeling Rong Xi and ordered in a cold voice, “Get up.”

Rong Xi did as he ordered and helped Ye Yunlan get up from the ground as well. Ye Yunlan had already been frightened ’til her legs went soft, and she stood still after getting up.

Rong Xi whispered to Ye Yunlan, “You go back first.”

Ye Yunlan’s heart was beating like a drum. She nodded at Rong Xi then flew away with hastened steps.

Di Shiyin saw that her younger sister had been gone for a long time, so she came out Weiyang Palace to look for her. She didn’t expect to see her sister kneeling on the ground. And the person in front of her was actually Jin wang, Mu Huai.

Di Shiyin felt a little excited and she asked the palace maid next to her, “Does my hair and makeup look okay?”

Di Shiyin’s hair was pulled up into a high snail bun today, and there was a jade hairpin inserted to the side. Adding on her clean and refreshing good looks, she looked quite beautiful.

The palace maid nodded her head and spoke in a flattering voice, “Eldest miss is very beautiful today, both hair and makeup are perfect.”

When Di Shiyin heard this, she walked grandly towards the crowd.

When she stopped behind Di Shihua, Di Shiyin respectfully greeted Mu Huai and then spoke in a soft voice, “This is my younger sister’s first time entering the palace. Although mama1 had taught her before, due to her stubborn personality, she still broke etiquette. I hope Your Highness can forgive her, after returning home this subject-daughter will definitely teach her well.”

Finished, Di Shiyin casually glanced at Rong Xi. Thinking that her appearance was really plain, she was a bit puzzled about why Mu Huai would protect her so fiercely. She thought that she would investigate this woman’s background after returning home.

Di Shiyin’s knees had been half-bent this whole time, but Mu Huai did not tell her to rise, keeping her in this posture.

Mu Huai coldly stared at the two daughters of Di house and asked in a heavy voice, “Doesn’t understand the rules?”

Although the two daughters of Di house didn’t understand, they didn’t dare to breathe too loudly.

Mu Huai raised his head and looked at the sun hanging high in the sky, slightly squinting his eyes. He looked like a lazy lion.

When he looked at them again, his gaze directed towards Di Shihua had chilled even more, “Before the skies turn dark, it is forbidden to leave this area. Just keep kneeling here like this, this King will have someone keep an eye on you. It is not a big deal to not understand the rules, today I will teach you.”

Mu Huai’s tone was solemn, not leaving any dignity for them.

When Di Shihua heard this, tears welled up in her eyes. Although it was currently winter, there is still a long time to go before evening. Plus, these cobblestones were extremely cold. She was a pampered and delicate young lady, how come this Jin wang didn’t know to have tender feelings towards the fairer sex?

Di Shiyin wanted to plead with Mu Huai but before she could open her mouth, Mu Huai had already guessed her intentions. He sharpened his eyes and raised an eyebrow, asking her, “Do you want to accompany your younger sister and kneel with her?”

Di Shiyin looked at her crying sister and finally exposed her hypocrisy. She would definitely not kneel for four or five hours for her, so she replied to Mu Huai, “…Her Majesty the Empress is still looking for this subject-daughter for matters, this subject-daughter will not stay here any longer…”

Di Shihua was shocked by her older sister’s answer. When she looked at her and saw Di Shiyin helplessly shake her head at her, she snorted in anger.

This farce finally ended.

Rong Xi cautiously followed behind Mu Huai. Facing the blindly bright midday sun, they walked in the direction of Quyun Palace.

Mu Huai suddenly stopped and turned around. Seeing Rong Xi with her head lowered, his countenance grew heavy and he asked, “Your master is me, how can you let others humiliate you?”

Rong Xi raised her eyes. The man in front of her wore luxuriously embroidered robes with a large red belt around his waist. He looked so solemn and majestic, one could not tear their eyes away, instilling fear in people’s hearts.

Rong Xi calmed her heart and replied in a low voice, “This slave’s status is just so, I’m used to being the lowest.”

When he heard her mention status, Mu Huai’s expression didn’t change though his words were quite piercing, “That’s true, a slave is just a slave. Although those two women have no status or title, they are still the empress’s relatives and young misses of an official’s family.”

He observed Rong Xi’s expression only to see her as calm and unaffected as always.

Mu Huai frowned a little. Just as he was about to shake his sleeves and turn around, he recalled seeing Ye Yunlan just now, “Is your body alright?”

Rong Xi’s heart pounded wildly, then she shook her head and replied, “Thanks to Your Highness for remembering, this slave’s body does not have any ailments.”

Mu Huai nodded. Rong Xi continued to follow behind him and recalled the words Mu Huai just said.

A slave was just a slave.

Her heart felt like it just got stabbed.

*****

Zhuang Emperor’s health had deteriorated further to where he did not hold court for a few days. For the past half a month, Jin wang did everything. He would often be busy until late at night with dealing with government affairs, and he spent less and less time with Rong Xi.

Because she was in the early stages of pregnancy and because Rong Xi’s body was susceptible to being cold, her body had a difficult time coping with the pregnancy. Moreover, she always felt sleepy.

She had been hesitating all this time on whether to tell Mu Huai the truth. Seeing her stomach grow, she would not be able to hide it for much longer.

Ye Yunlan had given her many nutritious medicines and even secretly added some rare and expensive herbs to help stabilize the fetus.

Whenever Mu Huai was free, he would come and indulge in good times with Rong Xi. Rong Xi had already prepared some pigeon blood that she smeared on her pants, lying to Mu Huai that her period came.

The morning sickness also greatly affected her. Mu Huai saw her vomiting all the time and he started to be suspicious as well. Rong Xi could only lie to him, saying that when women had difficult periods, they would want to vomit. When Mu Huai heard this, he half-believed it and half-doubted it.

When nighttime came, Mu Huai had a rare chance to stay at Quyun Palace but did not deal with any government matters. As usual, Rong Xi stood near the desk, helping Mu Huai grind ink.

She had a faint feeling that today’s Mu Huai was very different from usual. Although he was practicing his calligraphy on the gold-flecked paper, but his words were not as neat and textbook as before. Instead, it was a little rough and frantic.

Flecks of ink stained his hand but he didn’t care at all, continuing to dip his brush in ink. His fingers were long and slender, the knuckles very distinct. Rong xi wet a handkerchief and spoke in a small voice by his ear, “Your Highness…this slave will wipe away the ink stains for you.”

“En.”

He stood up after a few strokes, he sat down on the armchair nearby.

Rong Xi leaned over and carefully used a wet cloth to dab at the ink stains on his fingers. Mu Huai looked down, seeing her long and thick eyelashes fluttering up and down. His callused hands were currently being held in the woman’s warm and soft palms.

He took a deep breath and with a pull, his arms circled the woman around him. Rong Xi sat down in his lap. Seeing the man’s eyes become deeper, his hands also familiarly made their way to her belt. She frantically tried to stop him, “Your Highness…can’t…”

Mu Huai’s voice was raspy as he unhappily asked, “Counting the days, isn’t your period long over?”

Rong Xi closed her eyes and calmed her racing heart. In a whisper, she replied, “…This slave…doesn’t want to.”

Mu Huai let out a light laugh, then he grasped the woman’s chin, “Don’t want to? Who do you think you are?”

“Si la2—“

Mu Huai was very strong. The silk robe was torn apart like paper, ripped to shreds. When the man angrily kissed her as if he was venting his anger, Rong Xi also become a little angry as well.

Her pride was just like these clothes, ripped to shreds. Every day, she would be under his body, shamefully in pleasure. Whatever position he wanted her to be in, she would do so. Watching his moods, she lived in fear everyday that he would kill her.

Yes, she was a plaything, a slave. All of these were things she had no control over.

When she was a child, she was pampered and protected by her parents. Just because her family fell from grace, she became a lowly palace maid and had to be bullied and humiliated by this man every day.

But what made her the most angry was that Mu Huai was clearly an extremely cruel man, but she actually developed feelings for him.

How ridiculous and laughable.

Mu Huai felt a pain shooting from his lip. Blood oozed from the wound.

He released Rong Xi, it seems like he was just bitten by this woman.

He used his thumb to wipe away the trace of blood but did not throw a fit. Instead, he gave a rebellious smile, and traces of playfulness could even be seen in his eyes.

Mu Huai looked at Rong Xi. She had always been extremely gentle and warm, but the beautiful face tonight actually looked a little sullen.

How interesting.

Thinking of this, Mu Huai’s smile gradually became wider, and he lifted her up onto the desk.

The brushes, ink, and paper scattered on the ground. Rong Xi was also startled by his sudden movement and let out a yelp. After she sat down, she turned her head away, thinking about a counterattack in her heart.

She didn’t want to, really didn’t want to do that kind of thing here with Mu Huai.

Mu Huai held her shoulders and looked at her like how a predator looks at their prey. He stared intensely at the beauty on the desk.

Suddenly, shrill and sharp cries rang out from outside the window, faintly concealed with murderous intent.

Rong Xi followed the sounds and looked outside the window, only to see the full moon shrouded in a patch of red smoke. Her gaze changed.

Then she heard the palace people beating the drums and crying out:

“—Jihua Palace is on fire!”

The clouds in the skies outside were hazy.

The smile on Mu Huai’s face gradually faded, and he looked like a wild and fierce beast out for blood. Although there weren’t any ripples in his eyes, they showed a few hints of cruelty.

He finally let go of Rong Xi. Throwing his hands down, he strode out of the study.

Rong Xi only felt that her heart was pounding so fiercely it was about to jump out of her throat. She got down from the desk and after regaining her balance, she saw the window had already been blown open from the northern wind. The air was pungent with the smell of smoke.

Rong Xi clutched her heart, that place was still beating as furiously as the drums.

Mu Huai’s mother Virtuous Consort Yin was burned to death in big fire. Today, Noble Consort Li’s Jihua Palace suddenly caught on fire…

All of these events must be Mu Huai’s doing.

To take revenge on behalf of his mother, his schemes were cruel and extreme, without leaving any mercy.

However, this man’s cruelty made her feel terrified.

Rong Xi stood in front of the window and looking at the night sky glowing from the fire, she slowly clenched her fists.

She had to think of a way to leave this man.

Author’s note: Sisters, you must hold on! Only a few chapters left until Dog Mu rebirths. The first half of this novel is full of dog-blood, after the male lead rebirths, then it’s the mutual sweet love between the domineering emperor and spoiled empress. The male lead does not have a harem!!