The Tyrant’s Drama Queen Empress

CHAPTER 2: The Dog Emperor

　　Shen Ling passed the preliminary selection smoothly. After staying in the Palace for a few days, the Emperor issued an order to summon them.

　　From the residence of the candidates, all the girls were led by Palace maids to the place where His Majesty awaited. The Imperial Palace loomed high and majestic, red walls and glazed tiles gleaming, the roads wide and straight. The scene was grand and imposing. Guards in armor lined the way, exuding a deadly aura. Shen Ling didn’t hear a single word spoken along the route.

　　She was positioned in the middle. From her angle, the heads in front of her formed a dark, swelling sea of people. The atmosphere was intimidating, and Shen Ling thought to herself that this was a little terrifying.

　　Soon they arrived at a heavily guarded hall. The beauties at the front were being let in in batches. Shen Ling didn’t dare to glance around, but out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of the other girls. It made her wish she were the Emperor. So many beauties—being Emperor would be incredible!

　　Then a sound of fabric scraping the floor reached them from the front, drawing everyone’s gaze. Shen Ling saw it too. A girl dressed in pale pink was being dragged out of the hall by the guards. Tears streamed down her face, her hair in disarray, yet she didn’t dare to struggle or plead. Shen Ling’s breath caught in her throat.

　　She stared at the girl’s face.

　　—How picky does this Emperor have to be? A beauty like ¹Tong Liya and he still won’t accept her?

　　Shen Ling assumed the girl would be sent out of the Palace. Instead, she watched as the girl was being brutally beaten to death, and not a single sound escaped her lips until the end.

　　Shen Ling was terrified. She didn’t dare move, her legs soft and weak.

　　People… just die like that?

　　Had the novel mentioned the Palace being this dangerous? Shen Ling tried her hardest to remember, but the more she struggled, the emptier her mind became.

　　“Plop—” a girl fainted.

　　Shen Ling paused. She wanted to faint too.

　　She was just about to follow suit when the fainting girls were dragged away, sent to prison with the eunuchs coldly explaining it was “disturbing His Majesty.”

　　Shen Ling straightened her back, feeling as if she had just chewed a ton of mint candy. It was refreshing and exhilarating!

　　Even if the world ended, she would not faint!　　

　　With the examples of those who had been flogged to death and imprisoned, the beauties in front of the hall were completely silent, so quiet that not even a breath could be heard.

　　When it was Shen Ling’s turn to enter, she lifted her foot over the high threshold. Four other girls walked in with her. Inside and outside the hall, everything was eerily still. Shen Ling’s nose twitched—there was a smell, metallic and sharp. Blood? For a moment she almost slipped, but luckily her body was flexible enough to steady herself just in time.

　　Shen Ling followed the four girls beside her and bowed properly. “Your servant Shen Ling pays respects to Your Majesty.”

　　No one answered. Shen Ling stayed half-squatted, frozen in place.

　　On the raised platform, Xie Yuanxun looked down at the group of beauties with an icy expression. His aura grew restless, red threads appearing in his eyes. The lingering fragrance in the air made him want to kill, to strike with his own hands.

　　“Sword,” Xie Yuanxun said.

　　The Senior Eunuch Feng handed him the sword.

　　Xie Yuanxun took the sword and began walking down, footsteps echoing closer and closer.

　　Shen Ling glanced at the girls beside her—they were trembling. It hit her that the Emperor wasn’t just walking toward them. He was coming for them with a sword. Panic surged in her mind:

　　—Don’t come over here!

　　Xie Yuanxun’s steps paused for a moment.

　　Had he just heard someone speaking? He scanned the area but saw nothing unusual. What was that sound?

　　He continued forward.

　　Shen Ling shrieked in her head:

　　—Why are you still coming? I told you not to! Can men not control their own feet? Stupid man!

　　Xie Yuanxun’s expression remained unreadable as he walked closer to the five girls. The voice became clearer in his ears—the speaker was among them.

　　“Raise your head.”

　　The girls lifted their heads, and Shen Ling finally saw the Emperor. His face was sharply sculpted, pale skin, dark brows and eyes like swords. His black ceremonial robe made him look even more imposing. Honestly, he was stunning, and even with a long sword in his hand, dripping with blood, his looks alone were deadly.

　　“Speak,” Xie Yuanxun demanded.

　　The girls stifled their sobs and spoke, “Y-Your Majesty…”

　　“Y-Your Majesty.”

　　Shen Ling, trembling, forced herself to say, “Your Majesty.”

　　Xie Yuanxun’s sharp, dangerous gaze immediately landed on her.

　　“???”

　　Shen Ling’s heart skipped a beat. Why was he staring at her?

　　She had been perfectly obedient since entering the hall. She wanted nothing more than to curl up in a corner. Yet the Emperor’s eyes never left her. Under this oppressive pressure, Shen Ling desperately wanted to scream like a groundhog, but she didn’t dare. She was terrified.

　　The other beauties trembled in fear, and Shen Ling shivered along with them.

　　Suddenly, Xie Yuanxun raised the sword and pressed it against Shen Ling’s neck. He could see the legs of the beauties beside her shaking violently. Expressionless, he asked, “Are you afraid I’ll kill you?”

　　Shen Ling’s tears immediately streamed down her face.

　　She hadn’t expected her tear ducts to be so sensitive, letting tears spill so easily. Before, seeing someone die outside the palace had terrified her. But now, her fear was all for herself, and that made the tears come even faster. Ever since dying once, she had come to value her life more than anything.

　　She thought that by entering the Palace and staying away from the Shen family, staying away from Shen Xi and Shen Jinxiu, she could live safely. But now, the Emperor was going mad right in front of her!

　　The sword pressed against her neck. One slip of his hand, and she could be dead on the spot. And she hadn’t done anything! Why was he coming for her?

　　Tears streaming, she forced herself to speak bravely, “Your Majesty, I am not afraid.”

　　—A lunatic is killing people, and the first one he went after was me! Of course I’m scared! I’m so doomed! You’re impressive? Fine, you want to play? Let me hold a sword too!

　　“To die at Your Majesty’s hand would be my honor.”

　　—Dog Emperor, listen! I do not want to die! I really do not want to die!

　　Then, unexpectedly, Xie Yuanxun laughed, “Hahaha!”

　　All his murderous intent vanished.

　　He was certain he could hear Shen Ling’s thoughts. He wasn’t afraid of such a strange thing. The entire world belonged to him, and as long as it pleased him, he would allow her to exist. Just like that, she had earned her life back.

　　The good mood radiating from Xie Yuanxun could be felt clearly by everyone in the hall.

　　Shen Ling blinked.

　　—Why is he laughing? What’s funny about what I just said? Does he have a low threshold for humor, or is he just crazy? Yeah, probably crazy. Forget it, I’m not reasoning with a lunatic.

　　Xie Yuanxun’s laughter gradually faded, and Shen Ling held her breath, unsure what he would do next.

　　—He’s laughing, and it’s because of me, so he probably won’t kill me, right? But he’s a murderous lunatic! Maybe the type who laughs while killing—what a psycho!

　　—He’ll kill me, he won’t kill me, he’ll kill me, he won’t kill me… Ahhh! I’m losing it! You damn dog Emperor!

　　Shen Ling cursed him wildly in her mind, but her face betrayed no emotion.

　　What she didn’t know was that every single one of her curses and complaints had been heard by Xie Yuanxun.

　　He laughed again, “Hahaha.”

　　Shen Ling froze.

　　—You damn bastard!

　　Shen Ling clenched her hand inside her sleeve and carefully said, “Your Majesty.”

　　Xie Yuanxun raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”

　　“Are your hands tired?” she asked cautiously. “If they’re tired, could you put the sword down?”

　　He smiled lightly. “I am not tired.”

　　Shen Ling froze.

　　Seeing that he didn’t get angry, she gathered her courage and, biting the bullet, tried to imitate Shen Xi’s soft, delicate way of speaking, “But I was worried Your Majesty might get tired.”

　　Xie Yuanxun’s gaze sharpened. “So you’re feeling sorry for me?”

　　Shen Ling nodded shyly, her cheeks heating up as she muttered like a bashful girl, “Your Majesty, you’re so annoying~”

　　—I’ve sacrificed everything just to stay alive. I don’t even care about dignity anymore. Who’s tougher than me?

　　Xie Yuanxun finally pulled the sword away from her neck and tossed it casually into the Senior Eunuch Feng’s arms. He pinched Shen Ling’s cheek with satisfaction and said, “Bring Shen Guiren back to Chang Le Palace.”

　　Shen Guiren?

　　Just like that, she had been granted the rank of Guiren? This promotion was too easy—or no, not easy. She almost ended up dead! Shen Ling quickly bowed her thanks, just in case he changed his mind.

　　Her cheeks felt good to pinch, apparently. Xie Yuanxun lingered a moment longer, and when he finally let go, Shen Ling’s fair skin was flushed bright red.

　　Leaving the Palace, she touched the side of her face he had pinched. “Ouch!”

　　—I didn’t die. Just a few pinches, and it hurt. But his grip is strong… ow!

　　Arriving at Chang Le Palace, Shen Ling found it even larger than she had imagined. Palace maids and eunuchs were everywhere, with carved railings, jade decorations, and pavilions with rockeries. She didn’t even need to carry anything to settle in.

　　Shen Ling was very satisfied with her accommodation. Seeing that the eunuch who had brought her hadn’t left, her expression shifted. "I can live in Chang Le Palace thanks to His Majesty’s favor. I don’t know how far His Majesty’s bedchamber is from here, but every night, I’ll look toward it from afar before falling asleep, otherwise I can’t sleep.”

　　—The farther away from where he lives, the better; I'll definitely sleep soundly then.

　　—Ugh.

　　—That sounded a little gross.

　　“The residence of Your Grace is right behind His Majesty’s Taiji Hall,” the eunuch explained. “Among all the Palaces in the harem, only Your Grace Chang Le Palace is closest to His Majesty.”   

　　Shen Ling’s voice trembled, “I’m… the closest to His Majesty?”

　　The eunuch nodded. “Yes, Your Grace.”

　　Tears almost welled up again, and she choked out, “I’m… I’m so touched. I didn’t expect His Majesty to be so kind to me.”

　　—I really want to die.

　　The eunuch returned to the hall and carefully knelt beside Xie Yuanxun, recounting Shen Ling's reaction upon arriving at Chang Le Palace.

　　If Shen Ling were there, she would have gasped, thinking he was some kind of broken record. This seemingly ordinary eunuch had memorized every single word she had said.

　　The eunuch said, “Shen Guiren is grateful for Your Majesty’s arrangements. When I left, she was emotional and kept praising Your Majesty.”

　　Xie Yuanxun propped his hand on his chin and looked at the girls below with his usual impassive expression. “Shen Guiren, she is praising me?”

　　Suddenly he laughed and slammed the table, “Praising me? Hahaha.” Thinking of all the unspoken thoughts Shen Ling had yelled at him in her heart, he knew the more she praised him out loud, the harsher her real insults must be inside.

　　The eunuch hurried to flatter him, “Your Majesty is a man of unrivaled talent, ruling heaven and earth…”

　　Xie Yuanxun shot him a glance, and the eunuch immediately fell silent, terrified the Emperor might order the guards to drag him out and kill him next.

　　“Leave.”

　　“Yes, Your Majesty,” the eunuch stammered, retreating shakily.

　　Inside the hall, it seemed that the presence of Shen Guiren had emboldened the other beauties. One daring girl even stepped forward to offer a dance to attract Xie Yuanxun’s attention. He allowed it, but halfway through, he declared the dance was ugly and ordered the guards to skin her alive. When the guards brought the flayed skin back, Xie Yuanxun pointed at it and said that only by dancing like this could one perform a beautiful dance.

　　The other girls were horrified beyond belief. For the rest of the day, not one of them dared to move out of line again.

________________

Glossary:　

¹Tong Liya is actually a real-life Chinese actress—pretty famous, known for her delicate features and graceful looks.

So in that line, Shen Ling is basically thinking: “This Emperor’s taste is insane! Someone as stunning as Tong Liya and he still refuses her?!”

It’s like using a celebrity as a benchmark for beauty. 😂

²Normal Harem Ranking

1. Empress (皇后, Huánghòu)

Top-ranking woman in the Palace.

Officially the Emperor’s primary wife.

2. Imperial Noble Consort (皇贵妃, Huáng Guìfēi)

Second in rank, highest consort under the empress.

Usually very favored by the Emperor.

3. Noble Consort / Consorts (贵妃, Guìfēi)

High-ranking consorts below the Imperial Noble Consort.

Often a few of them.

4. Consorts (妃, Fēi)

Mid-tier consorts, ranked below the Noble Consorts.

5. Imperial Concubines (嫔, Pín)

Lower-ranked concubines.

Often several of them.

6. Talented Ladies / Female Attendants (贵人, Guìrén / 常在, Chángzài / 淑媛, Shūyuàn)

Even lower ranks, often titles for women favored occasionally or still climbing the ranks.

7. Women of the Harem (宫女, Gōngnǚ / 侍女, Shìnǚ)

Lowest rank; Palace maids or attendants.

Extra Notes:

Titles like Guiren or Pin are usually kept in transliteration when referring to a specific person.

In Chinese court terms, “贵人” (Guiren) usually comes after the surname. So it should be Shen Guiren.

For example:

Shen Guiren = Concubine of the Shen family (or concubine Shen)

The number of women in each rank could vary by dynasty and Emperor.

Higher ranks = more privileges, closer to the Emperor, more influence.

….

T/N: Hello, everyone 👋 Are you happy today? Haha, I’m happy!! After almost two months of not finding any good novels, I finally found two! I actually wanted to save this one to translate later, but last time my “keepsake” novel got translated by someone else while I was finishing that DSSC novel. Tsk. So, I got greedy and decided I’ll translate both of these novels! Let’s see if I can manage it. If not, maybe I’ll alternate: one day The Tyrant’s Drama Queen Empress novel, next day The Male Lead I Wronged Has Blackened, then back to The Tyrant’s Drama Queen Empress novel, until both are finished. 🤣🤭

 

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