Chapter 124: The Empress's Legs Are to Be Played With for Years—Take Off Those Black Stockings! (1)
The venomous Princess's face turned cold.
Her plan was unfolding step by step, and the next target was none other than the Empress.
She understood the Empress's grand ambitions—there was no way she would be content with ruling just half the realm.
Once she unified the Southern Dynasty, she would inevitably set her sights on the entire world, even threatening the very foundation of her own ruler's grand cause!
She could not allow things to go so smoothly for her and was prepared to create as much trouble as possible.
The rebels were merely a tool for cooperation.
But the real trump card was already in place.
It wouldn't be long before war broke out, and the Southern Dynasty's dreams of unification would be shattered!
Meanwhile, Su Qing returned home under the cover of night.
He had only one thought—acting with these wicked women was truly exhausting!
Especially when said wicked woman was genuinely smart, leaving no room for mistakes in front of her.
To be honest, watching her put on a show nearly made him laugh out loud.
Such an arrogant and proud Princess… If only she were a bit more cautious, he would have far more trouble dealing with her.
Right now, she was probably feeling triumphant over fooling him, wasn't she?
He wondered—what kind of expression would she make when he revealed the truth to her one day?
Destroying a Princess's pride and confidence… just thinking about it was exciting.
If he didn't have to wait a couple more days to complete this stage, he would have loved to expose the truth right away!
With that happy thought, Su Qing soon arrived back at his residence.
It was about time to rest.
Today had been eventful, and even he was feeling a little drained.
In that case, should he have his bodyguard undress him and then cuddle up for some sleep?
After all, when tired, a soft pillow was only natural.
First, Su Qing washed his face, then called for his bodyguard to assist him.
Although he morally condemned such indulgent habits, he still enjoyed them.
Yet today, his ever-present bodyguard did not appear as expected.
He was puzzled at first but quickly realized something.
His ever-loyal guard must have gone to warm the bed first.
After all, washing his face only took a moment—hardly enough time to warm anything properly.
"Shenyue, you don't need to warm the—"
He stepped into his room while speaking.
But the moment he opened the door, the words stuck in his throat.
At this moment, there were already two people in his room.
One sat in his chair, drinking his tea, enjoying a massage from his bodyguard.
His subordinate was actually serving someone else—was he being usurped?
The absurd thought flashed through his mind.
"Go on, finish what you were saying. Let Us hear it."
A lazy voice carried an undeniable air of danger.
Shenyue glanced at him with a helpless expression.
After all, the Empress was her true master.
So technically, she wasn't doing anything wrong.
The Empress's sharp phoenix eyes sized up Su Qing from head to toe, missing nothing.
After her inspection, she relaxed, returning to her usual lazy yet commanding demeanor.
Draped in a loose, dark robe, her full, seductive curves were tantalizingly outlined beneath the fabric.
Her breathtaking face carried a touch of languid charm, though her regal authority remained unmistakable.
She didn't need to exert it—it was simply part of her being, making it impossible for anyone to act carelessly in her presence.
For ordinary people, this was the overwhelming presence of an emperor.
For Su Qing, however, it was a noble flower waiting to be conquered.
A noble flower made of ice—beautiful, yet dangerous.
"Your Majesty, it's already late. Why are you here?"
Su Qing feigned surprise.
He had planned to visit her tomorrow for a debriefing, yet she had come to him first.
Clearly, her urgency stemmed from concern for him.
Such care—how could one not be moved?
"You haven't answered My question."
The Empress's tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
As Empress, she was used to interrogating others—not the other way around.
"Nothing much, just getting ready for bed."
"Your Majesty must have been waiting here for some time. Thank you for your concern."
Su Qing swiftly changed the subject.
His instincts warned him—if he finished that sentence, he'd be in serious trouble.
For the sake of his own safety, he opted for diversion.
"Who said I was waiting for long? I simply had urgent matters to discuss."
"But you… seem to have had quite a busy day."
The Empress's phoenix eyes scrutinized him.
"Serving Your Majesty with unwavering loyalty—of course I've been busy."
Su Qing declared without hesitation.
As a devoted subject, all his efforts today were well worth it!
"Traitorous subject, is this how you address your sovereign? You've grown far too casual."
The Empress let out a soft huff.
Normally, she would have scolded him more sternly, her imperial arrogance flaring.
But now, seeing him safe and sound, she couldn't bring herself to be truly angry.
On the contrary, she felt rather pleased.
She had already received news of his safety earlier that day.
But only upon seeing him in person did she truly feel reassured.
As for where she got her information?
At noon, the long-dormant system had finally given her a notification.
The system informed her that her favored minister had successfully completed his preliminary training—with an outstanding S-rank evaluation.
Not only that, but it had granted her a crucial reward: a cultivation correction technique!
The cultivation method the Empress had practiced all her life was actually flawed.
Reverse-Practice Divine Diagram—the only one in history, yet inherently flawed, destined to cause her great harm in the future.
Initially, she had scoffed at the reward.
As an Empress with supreme talent and ambition, she had full confidence in herself.
But after examining the technique, her skepticism turned to shock.
This reward contained the complete, perfected version of her own cultivation method.
Upon comparing the two, she made a terrifying discovery.
If she had continued practicing her flawed technique, she would have only ten years left to live!
And worse—she wouldn't have realized it until it was far too late!
This reward had completely eliminated a disaster waiting to happen.
In truth, she had never paid much attention to the system before.
Yet now, it had delivered her a life-saving gift.
And it was all thanks to Su Qing!
Although she was the one who had bonded with the system, she was merely the support.