In the pure love world, male characters showed no interest in women; they did not love women.
Chu Yunge would have been moved if men had forcefully seized her, but men forcefully seizing men—she could not get past that hurdle in her heart.
Moreover, this novel had been written by her former colleague who had turned against her, full of malice toward her. If she dared to forcefully seize Xie Wangze and Qingchen, who belonged to the emperor, she would surely die a most miserable death.
And she feared death.
“Alas.”
With top-quality beautiful men right before her yet unable to have them, Chu Yunge could not help but sigh. Her gaze lingered wistfully, full of heartache.
Such looks, such figures, such proportions—how could they be pure love?
Xie Wangze and Qingchen shrank back involuntarily under her gaze. That look…
Xie Wangze felt thoroughly uncomfortable under Chu Yunge’s stare. Knowing the princess’s temperament well, he tightened his grip on his hand.
“Your Highness, Master Kongshi’s words cannot be taken lightly. If Master Qingchen breaks his precepts and turns demonic, unleashing a massacre, the world will descend into chaos. Your Highness will inevitably be implicated as well.”
The princess had heard these words more than ten times after seizing Qingchen, yet she remained unmoved and unconcerned about the consequences of his precept-breaking. After all, this world was not hers.
The princess loathed the emperor who had forced her to drink her blood and made her suffer for over a decade.
The more they warned her, the more determined she became to make him break. If breaking one monk’s precepts could plunge the world into chaos, why not? The princess very much wanted to try.
But trying meant death. Chu Yunge wanted to live.
What she needed to do now was stay away from them.
Before forcing herself upon them turned into irreconcilable enmity, she should let go when it was time to let go. When the moment was ripe, she should seek divorce.
Chu Yunge acted decisively. She nodded and chimed in, “The Prince Consort is right.”
Xie Wangze and Qingchen paused, then looked up in astonishment. What had they just heard?
“Seizing Master Qingchen and bringing him into the estate was indeed improper. You may go.”
Her response did not relax Xie Wangze; instead, it filled him with wariness. What new scheme was the princess plotting now?
Qingchen, however, was delighted. “This poor monk can truly leave?”
Seeing Qingchen’s disbelief, Xie Wangze’s face also showed hesitation and vigilance. Chu Yunge rifled through her memories—oh, right, the princess had often gone back on her word, pretending to be magnanimous and forgiving only to turn around and settle scores.
Somewhat helplessly, she spoke, “It’s true. This Princess saw how you suffered yet still chanted sutras for me, and it truly moved me. I cannot achieve instant enlightenment into Buddhahood, so This Princess has decided to become a good person from today onward—no more seizing common men by force, no more coercing others.”
She could always find men who were willing and liked women.
Xie Wangze did not believe her. He had not forgotten her gaze from moments ago.
But Chu Yunge had already closed her eyes and waved her hand impatiently. “This Princess has given you your chance. If you do not leave, This Princess will assume you wish to serve her.”
Qingchen pressed his palms together. “Qingchen takes his leave.”
The hand clutching the pouch in Xie Wangze’s sleeve relaxed instantly. He had intended to leave with Qingchen, but since Chu Yunge had not dismissed him, to avoid her venting her anger on him, he halted his step just as he was about to exit the bedchamber.
“You go first.”
Xie Wangze said to Qingchen, then turned back and tentatively offered, “Your Highness, shall I read to you?”
Chu Yunge’s headache flared up again, causing her great discomfort. She had not expected Xie Wangze to stay.
She looked up at him. “No need. You may go as well.”
Xie Wangze had always avoided her like the plague; this was the first time he had proactively offered to read to her. Something unusual was afoot.
She was no good person, and Xie Wangze was even less so. He was scheming and vengeful. Everything she did now, he would repay in full later.
Better to stay away.
Her refusal astonished Xie Wangze even more. The princess never used to refuse.
“Understood.” A shadow darkened Xie Wangze’s eyes as he prepared to withdraw, but Chu Yunge’s vision suddenly went black, and she nearly lost her balance.
Xie Wangze hesitated, then caught her.
Seeing Chu Yunge’s face deathly pale—not feigned—Xie Wangze bent down, picked her up, and placed her on the bed.
After setting her down, he quickly retreated to avoid her suddenly clinging to him.
But… Chu Yunge did not move.
Xie Wangze asked softly, “Your Highness, shall I summon the imperial physician?” His voice was exceedingly pleasant.
“No need.” Chu Yunge knew it was just her anemia causing the headache and dizziness.
Xie Wangze paused. “Your Highness, I shall read to you after all.”
She had released Qingchen and now looked like this; he could not simply leave.
Chu Yunge hesitated, then nodded. “Alright.”
Her headache was severe, and Xie Wangze’s voice soothed it—that was one reason the princess had wanted him as her Prince Consort.
Seeing a book nearby, Chu Yunge handed it to him casually. Read anything, just relieve her headache quickly.
After Xie Wangze opened the book, his eyes darkened. His slender hand tensed, veins bulging.
“What is it?” Chu Yunge asked, puzzled that he did not start reading.
“Nothing.” Xie Wangze’s gaze deepened as he slowly began.
“Lazy hand enters the gauze curtains, bashfully…”
Xie Wangze’s voice was low and magnetic, truly delightful, greatly easing her pain. But this poem seemed a bit off.
“…willow waist style…”
Confirmed: it was erotic poetry.
Chu Yunge was dumbfounded. She should have checked it first.
“Ahem…” Chu Yunge immediately stopped him. “Enough. You may go.”
No wonder Xie Wangze had not started right away. In his eyes, she had probably done this deliberately to humiliate him.
Xie Wangze stopped accordingly, refusing to continue the indecent verses. With a grim face, he left.
Chu Yunge watched his retreating figure, words on the tip of her tongue, but in the end, she said nothing.
Forget it—just reading erotic poetry. She was not afraid of that kind of retaliation.
Soon, a palace maid entered.
“Your Highness.” The palace maid’s face was full of confusion, her tone ingratiating yet somewhat overstepping. “Did you not say we must consummate tonight?”
A closer look revealed unwillingness in her eyes.
Chu Yunge’s face turned cold. “Out.”
A flash of resentment crossed Du Ruo’s eyes. Humiliated, she withdrew.
Chu Yunge could not help rolling her eyes. Du Ruo had originally been the daughter of an official family. As a child, her parents had instructed her to curry favor with the princess. Later, her family fell into ruin, and she was nearly reduced to an official courtesan when the princess saved her, along with her maid Qiu Xiang. The two became palace maids together.
But Du Ruo could not let go of her pride. Apart from occasionally flattering the princess, she shirked duties otherwise. The princess remembered her kindness, so they were neither mistress nor servant.
Qiu Xiang, on the other hand, diligently served both the princess and Du Ruo.
Du Ruo admired the emperor, yet in the end, Qiu Xiang entered the palace as Noble Consort Xiang while she remained a mere maid. She hated Qiu Xiang bitterly but had no choice except to emulate her—fawning and urging the princess, hoping the princess would speak for her to enter the palace and serve the emperor.
The princess still treated her like a close friend, utterly unaware that this was paving her path to death.
The chamber fell quiet. Chu Yunge removed the Gold Filigree Floral Dragon-pattern Bracelet from her wrist and saw the blood-soaked gauze beneath.
“As expected.” A mocking smile curled Chu Yunge’s lips.
Every half month, the princess had to feed the emperor once, always exactly one bowl—about two hundred milliliters, enough for a full blood donation.
After one donation, one needed at least half a year before the next, yet the princess donated twice a month, so her anemia was severe, especially today.
She had delivered blood to the emperor that very morning. The intense headache and growing madness were unbearable torment for anyone.