The Tyrant’s Drama Queen Empress

CHAPTER 21: Will Begging for Mercy Work?

　　Xie Yuanxun’s gaze lingered on Shen Ling’s face. He had never cared much about a woman’s appearance before, but Shen Ling’s features left a deeper impression on him the longer he looked. Her skin was fair, her lips small and delicate, and she didn’t wear much jewelry in her hair. Her long black hair flowed down her back, her gown trailing elegantly behind her. Shen Ling noticed his stare and instinctively touched her face, slightly puzzled.

　　She took a spoonful of the shaved ice.

　　—Why does he look like he’s just noticed how beautiful I am today?

　　Xie Yuanxun didn’t answer. His gaze didn’t move, but now it rested on her lips, tinged red with juice from the ice. The color contrast was striking.

　　He reached out, his long, elegant fingers brushing her lips.

　　Xie Yuanxun asked, “What is this you’ve made?”

　　Shen Ling looked up at him. From this angle, her face seemed even smaller, her eyes clear and bright, perfectly pure. She thought for a moment, then gave the treat a name that wouldn’t sound out of place in the Da Liang dynasty, “Ice food.”

　　Xie Yuanxun didn’t object to the name. “You made this?”

　　Shen Ling nodded. “Yes.”

　　Xie Yuanxun asked, “How did you make it?”

　　There was a flicker of something unusual in Shen Ling’s eyes, quickly hidden behind a blink, but it was enough for Xie Yuanxun to notice.

　　Shen Ling explained, “I saw the ice in the Palace that’s used to cool down, and it reminded me that I’d read about making ice in a storybook. I tried it myself, and it worked using saltpeter. Then I had Liu Zhu fetch some syrup and fruit juice from the Imperial Kitchen, and mixing them together gave me this ice food I’m holding now.”

　　Shen Ling couldn’t exactly say she’d learned about making ice with saltpeter from the internet before transmigrating, so she made up a story from a storybook instead. After all, Xie Yuanxun knew she loved reading those books.

　　Since he asked, she had to give him an answer.

　　Still, she couldn’t help thinking in her mind:

　　—It tastes good, that’s enough. Why does he need to know every little detail?

　　—When you eat pork, do you also need to know exactly how the pig was raised?

　　Xie Yuanxun’s gaze was cold. “……”

　　He didn’t care about pigs. He just wanted to know how she made it.

　　The hand he had on her lips pressed a little, though not too hard. She was very delicate, like she was made of water; if he held her down and kissed her for a while, she would struggle and cry for help, panting heavily.

　　—Do you think you’re rubbing a rag?

　　—Also, you wiped off my lip color. I spent so long picking out this shade.

　　Xie Yuanxun let go. Sure enough, his fingers had her lip color on them.

　　He said bluntly, “So fragile.”

　　Shen Ling was momentarily stunned.

　　—Fragile? How am I fragile?

　　—I didn’t even do anything!

　　She licked her lips and decided to let it go. Whatever he said, went. After all, he was the Emperor. She comforted herself with practiced calm and a steady mindset.

　　Shen Ling took another bite, then looked at Xie Yuanxun sitting beside her. She said, “Your Majesty, the method I used can make ice, not just rely on storing it in the icehouse. You could spread the technique of making ice with saltpeter. Then the demand for ice in the Capital won’t be so high.”

　　Xie Yuanxun tilted his head, watching her.

　　Shen Ling frowned, confused. “What’s wrong?”

　　—That look you're giving me…

　　—Isn’t that the look you give to a fool, huh? Huh, huh!

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “Saltpeter is a government-controlled material. The Court supervises it. Private individuals are not allowed to possess it.”

　　Hearing this, Shen Ling remembered that saltpeter was one of the ingredients for making gunpowder.

　　“……” She had thought she could look impressive, but reality slapped her down. Fine, she’d just obediently remain as the precious consort.

　　“However, the Court can use your method. If there’s more ice, they could slightly expand the public’s access to it. Your idea is naive, but a compromise can make it work.” Xie Yuanxun noted her disappointment but didn’t reject it entirely.

　　Shen Ling twitched her lips. “……” He said she was naive, but at least it worked.

　　She flashed him a grateful smile. “Your Majesty, you’re really kind.”

　　Xie Yuanxun remained calm. “I have always been.”

　　Shen Ling blinked. “……” Who gave you the courage to brag about yourself like that, ¹Liang Jingru?

　　—Do you really have such a high opinion of yourself?

　　Xie Yuanxun’s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing. “Do you think what I said is wrong?”

　　Shen Ling really wanted to tell him he was wrong, but she didn’t dare. In the Da Liang Dynasty, Xie Yuanxun was the Emperor. He had the power over life and death for everyone. If he said someone must die, they would die—no arguments. If he said someone must live, even death couldn’t stop it. Shen Ling wasn’t about to pick a fight she couldn’t win.

　　She put on her most sincere expression. “Your Majesty, you are absolutely right. Your words are pure wisdom, like the sayings of a sage, echoing in one’s ears for three days, leaving a lingering resonance that never fades.”

　　Xie Yuanxun laughed loudly, pulling her into his arms. He rested his chin on her shoulder, his voice low and smooth. “Well said. Keep going.”

　　Shen Ling blinked rapidly. Honestly, his voice at this moment was ridiculously sexy.

　　When your provider of food and clothing speaks, you just have to obey.

　　—It’s just flattery with your eyes wide open. I’ve got this down.

　　Shen Ling continued, “Your Majesty, you are wise and mighty, your demeanor extraordinary. You are the most brilliant of all rulers. My admiration for you flows endlessly like the Yellow River. Every morning when I open my eyes, I think of you. Every night when I close them, I still think of you. No matter the time or place, my thoughts are always with your courage and brilliance...”

　　Xie Yuanxun laughed, “Hahaha.”

　　His good mood was clear just from his laughter.

　　Shen Ling was so amused by his laughter, kept spinning her extravagant praise.

　　—You said you wanted to hear compliments, didn’t you?

　　—I’m giving them to you, so why are you ruining it? Do you even want me to keep going?

　　—So frustrating!

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “Keep going.”

　　Shen Ling retorted, “Then you can’t laugh anymore. I’m being serious here.” Get your attitude right!

　　Xie Yuanxun replied, “Go on.”

　　And then… nothing happened.

　　Shen Ling numbly shut her mouth, the sound of Xie Yuanxun's laughter still ringing in her ears.

　　—Men’s words are not to be trusted. You lot could lie to ghosts!

　　—Laugh all you want, laugh yourself to death for all I care.

　　She scooped up her ice shavings and ate. When life is stressful, food is the only cure.

　　Xie Yuanxun leaned closer, following the smell. “Is it good?”

　　Shen Ling nodded, her dark eyes flicking. “It’s… okay.” She carefully downgraded her praise to something safer.

　　Her heart fluttered. He’s not going to try to eat it, is he?

　　Xie Yuanxun still held her, not letting go. Seeing her guard the ice, he glanced at her lips and said, “Let me try it.”

　　—What’s meant to happen, happens.

　　Shen Ling thought about standing up to make him a fresh bowl, but he didn’t release her. His arms stayed firmly around her soft waist. “You’ve already got a bowl. Just feed it to me.”

　　She feigned reluctance. “This isn’t proper, Your Majesty. I already ate from it.”

　　He said, “I don’t mind that you’ve eaten it.”

　　Shen Ling protested, “It has my saliva on it.”

　　Xie Yuanxun smirked, “Wasn’t there saliva when I kissed you too?”

　　Shen Ling froze. “……”

　　—You’re shameless. I give up. Goodbye.

　　Shen Ling had no choice but to scoop a bite from her own ice shavings to feed Xie Yuanxun. She fed him one bite, then herself, and asked, “So, what do you think?”

　　Xie Yuanxun gave a stingy reply, “Barely acceptable.”

　　Shen Ling blinked. “Then I’ll just eat it all myself?”

　　He pinched the soft flesh at her waist, slow and deliberate. “What did you just say?”

　　Shen Ling smiled sweetly. “Come on, Your Majesty, I’ll feed you. Open up, ah.”

　　—The food is mine, the feeding is mine, and yet you pinch me too. Do you know what that’s called? Gratitude turned into spite.

　　—If you dare misbehave again, I’ll dump this ice on your face.

　　—Just asking, are you scared of that threat or not?!

　　Xie Yuanxun glanced at her.

　　Shen Ling smiled, unmoved as a mountain, her elegance unchanged.

　　She fed him as much as he would take. Gradually, she started giving him less. She’d scoop a small spoonful, shake it a few times in her hand, and then feed it to him. When it was her turn, she’d scoop a full spoon.

　　She started shaking again. Seeing the motion, he knew that spoon was meant for him.

　　Xie Yuanxun raised his hand, grabbed hers, and with a reverse motion, fed her the spoonful of ice. “Less and less. You get the smaller bites because your mouth is tiny.”

　　“See how good I’m being to you?”

　　Shen Ling, “……”

　　—Heh.

　　—You’re just too damn good, so good that my fists are getting stiff.

　　Xie Yuanxun grabbed her hand, scooped a huge spoonful—way more than Shen Ling had scooped for herself—and fed it straight into his own mouth, leaving a huge chunk of ice shavings gone from the bowl in an instant.

　　“I moved it for you, now you continue,” Xie Yuanxun said, patting her head. “Good girl.”

　　Shen Ling, “……”

　　—Good girl my ass!

　　—Damn it, I’m so mad, so mad!

　　The more Shen Ling thought about it, the angrier she got. She was so flustered she even forgot to feed herself. Suddenly, an idea struck her as she looked at the remaining ice shavings. She turned away from Xie Yuanxun with a wicked grin.

　　—You want to eat, huh? Fine, I’ll make sure you eat your fill!

　　Shen Ling sped up. Every time she fed him a spoonful, she immediately scooped another, giving him zero time to chew or react.

　　—It's not as good as us fighting over it, it's much better for you to eat it all by yourself!

　　—See how good I’m being to you?

　　Unfortunately, Shen Ling's plan was well thought out, but Xie Yuanxun didn't cooperate with her at all.

　　He opened his mouth, and when Shen Ling slapped a spoonful in, just as she was about to pull it back, a tug—she couldn’t take it back.

　　She looked and saw Xie Yuanxun had bitten down on the spoon.

　　“Your Majesty?” Shen Ling called out.

　　He didn’t answer. He grabbed the ice bowl and shoveled a mouthful of ice shavings in, and Shen Ling’s eyes widened.

　　Before she could react, Xie Yuanxun grabbed the back of her head. Shen Ling knew she was in trouble. She struggled to dodge, but as always, it was useless. He forced a kiss onto her lips, prying them slightly, and shoved the ice shavings into her mouth.

　　Shen Ling’s face twisted in pain, her mind went blank, and she was too shocked to react.

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “Good girl, you finished it all.”    

　　Shen Ling’s mouth was ice cold. Her teeth were chattering, chills running straight through her.

　　—Good girl my foot!

　　—You...bitch...damn it!

　　Damn it, she took a loss. She should have clung to his head like a facehugger earlier. If someone had to suffer the cold, it should have been both of them together!

　　Xie Yuanxun picked her up and carried her outside.

　　With her tongue slightly numb, Shen Ling asked, “Your Majesty… what… are you doing?”

　　Xie Yuanxun freed one hand. Afraid of falling, Shen Ling quickly wrapped both arms around his neck.

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “You’re already grown up. Why are you afraid of a little cold from eating ice?”

　　Shen Ling, “I…”

　　The moment she opened her mouth, his fingers slipped in and poked around inside. Shen Ling nearly rolled her eyes from how messed up it felt.

　　Xie Yuanxun frowned. “I’ll take you out to bask in the sun and warm you up a bit.”

　　“Your mouth is cold. It’s uncomfortable for me to touch.”

　　Shen Ling, “……”

　　—Get lost!

　　—Who told you to stick your hand in there? Did I give you permission?

　　—I’m absolutely not going outside. If I go sunbathe with you, I’ll call you ancestor grandpa!

　　Xie Yuanxun looked at her calmly and said slowly, “Actually, we don’t have to go out. Kissing you would warm your mouth just the same.”

　　Shen Ling said seriously, “Your Majesty, I want to go bask in the sun with you.”

　　—… Ancestor grandpa!    

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to go out?”

　　Shen Ling replied, “Who said that? I clearly really want to go out.” She shifted slightly.

　　Right now, Xie Yuanxun was holding her like a small child. Her legs were parted as she faced him directly. Shen Ling felt her face heat up. Even a bridal carry would have been better than this.

　　Xie Yuanxun gave her backside a light pat. “What are you squirming around for?”

　　Shen Ling, “……”

　　Her cheeks burned. This was way too damn embarrassing!

　　Shen Ling straightened her body and pressed Xie Yuanxun’s head tightly against her chest, clinging to him with both arms and legs, refusing to let go.

　　—I’ll suffocate you to death!

　　Xie Yuanxun opened his mouth and took a bite.

　　Shen Ling sucked in a breath. “That hurts!”

　　Xie Yuanxun asked leisurely, “Oh? Why is that?”

　　Shen Ling said, “Because you bit me.” And he did it hard, too.

　　“You blocked my view. I couldn’t see the road,” Xie Yuanxun said calmly, not caring whether she believed him. “I was going to bite your clothes to remind you, but I ended up biting flesh instead. Don’t you think I shouldn’t have bitten you?”

　　—Your nonsense is honestly terrifying.

　　—Do you have to be so perfunctory? Biting clothes? Have you lost your mind? Were you kicked in the head by a donkey?

　　Shen Ling held back the urge to bite him back and smiled instead, her smile radiant with saintly light. “As the saying goes, women are like clothes. It doesn't matter who Your Majesty bites.”

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “Is that so?”

　　Shen Ling replied, “It is.”

　　—Look how well I’m playing along. Are you bubbling with happiness now, idiot?

　　Xie Yuanxun stared at her for a moment, then suddenly laughed. “Since you say it’s all the same, then I’ll bite a few more times.”

　　Shen Ling froze. “……”        

　　She saw that Xie Yuanxun looked serious, so without thinking, she cupped his face with both hands. At this moment, he looked like a child learning how flowers bloom, and Shen Ling pressed a little harder, a tiny bit harder… okay, maybe a lot harder. She managed to make his lips pout slightly.

　　—Pffft.

　　Xie Yuanxun’s voice sounded low and teasing. “Have you had enough fun?”

　　But with his lips all puckered like that, his menacing tone wasn’t scary at all. In fact, it was kind of cute.

　　Shen Ling couldn’t help laughing.

　　Xie Yuanxun sneered softly.

　　He held her with one arm while taking her hands in the other, and with a serious expression, he carried her toward the inner chambers of Chang Le Palace.

　　Shen Ling’s heart skipped a beat. This didn’t feel good. Her instincts screamed that things were about to get dangerous. “Weren’t you going to take me out in the sun?” she asked. Why were they heading to the inner chambers?

　　“I’m not going,” Xie Yuanxun said. “It’s time for you to attend to the night duties.”

　　Shen Ling's legs went weak on the spot. Night duties? She didn't want to! Ever since she and Xie Yuanxun had unlocked the secret of kissing, Shen Ling's experiences of serving him in bed had become much more varied than before. It could be said that they had done everything except the final step, not to mention Xie Yuanxun's current look that suggested he wanted to kill her in bed. Shen Ling was terrified.

    

________________ 

Glossary: 

¹Liang Jingru (梁静茹) is a Taiwanese singer, super famous for soft love songs and breakup anthems.

But online, her name became a Chinese meme.

👉 “Who gave you the courage? Liang Jingru?” = sarcastic way of saying,

“Who hyped you up?”

“Who gave you this audacity?” 

“Why are you so confident for no reason?”

It’s like saying in English:

“Who told you you could do that?”

or

“Where did you get that confidence, Bestie?”

She has nothing to do with the story, nothing to do with politics, nothing to do with logic.

Pure meme. Pure shade. Pure internet culture.

So yeah.

Liang Jingru = innocent singer accidentally dragged by the internet 💀

…..   

T/N: Alright, if you’re new to my blog and thinking, “Huh, why was there no update for two days?” or “Why are there suddenly so many updates?”—don’t worry! That many updates is just me catching up on the days I didn’t post. I promise to upload once a day, but sometimes I’m sick or just plain lazy, aka not in the mood to proofread or translate. So I cover those missing translations later. Haha! So whenever you see no update, don’t worry—the chapters you missed will be uploaded alongside the current day’s update. Anyway, enjoy~    

:¨ ·.· ¨:

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