CHAPTER 246: CHAPTER 246: YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF MEI HUA XIANG!

"I can go with the flow, but I never stir up trouble or seek it, but if anyone dares to threaten my status, then I will make her vanish without a trace, her soul scattered and her body without a place for burial."

When Empress Qiao said this, she still wore a smile, and no one would have thought that such murderous words would come from someone with a smiling face.

"Em... Empress..."

Pang Shuangyue collapsed to the ground, her face full of terror and despair.

Empress Qiao glanced at her lightly, reached out her hand, and gently stroked her chin.

"What’s wrong? So despondent, don’t be, cheer up! Isn’t it just a ruined face? Look, this is the Jade Dew Ointment, specifically for treating scars. Apply it morning and night after you go back. It might not restore you completely, but nine-tenths recovery is still possible!"

A box of ointment appeared in Empress Qiao’s hand.

"Ah, such a pity for such a beautiful face, take it, rest assured, your foster mother won’t harm you."

Pang Shuangyue tremblingly accepted the box of ointment.

"Thank you, Empress..."

"Go on! In the future, think more when you do things, don’t fall into others’ traps so easily, otherwise, I would be embarrassed to say I know you. Hehehe..."

Empress Qiao covered her mouth, chuckled lightly, and turned away.

Pang Shuangyue tremblingly held the box of ointment and left. As soon as she left, a shadowy figure entered Kunyuan Palace.

Empress Qiao entered her chamber, just removed her outer robe, and took off the heavy hairpins from her head when she caught a glimpse of the shadow out of the corner of her eye.

"You’re here! I just humiliated your daughter; are you here to stand up for her?"

Empress Qiao sat in front of her dressing table, looking at the vague shadow behind her through the copper mirror.

"Empress, you jest. Shuang Yue acted recklessly and deserved punishment. This time she got a lesson; she’ll know to restrain herself in the future!"

"Oh, you’re not here for your daughter, then you’re here for me?"

"Our plan needs to proceed!"

"What does your plan have to do with me? You play your game, I play mine, let’s not interfere with each other! Besides, if you happen to mess it up, I can still help you clean up the mess, hahaha..."

"Empress, you jest! This plan has been in the works for a long time, and there’s more than just one. As soon as the first one fails, the next will be immediately set in motion. You need do nothing, just preside over the situation in the palace!"

"Alright, since you are so confident, I will quietly await your good news? If you succeed, I will be yours..."

"In that case, I take my leave!"

The shadow retreated, and Empress Qiao still sat quietly at her dressing table, playing with her long black hair, as if the person had never been there.

...

After a few months of court duties, suddenly stopping, lying at home eating and drinking, a bit decadent maybe, but Li Qingmu felt great.

His little wife stayed by his side every day, taking care of him, making him feel like he was in heaven.

Leaning on the soft couch, holding a book in his hand, he was flipping through it.

"Here, open your mouth!"

"Ah—"

Long Yue stuffed a small bun into Li Qingmu’s mouth, feeling like she was feeding a child, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

"Does my lady have something happy?"

The man hadn’t realized his childishness had been teased by his wife, still feeling good about himself.

Long Yue said, "Nothing much, just seeing your complexion is much better than before, I’m relieved!"

"Thank you for your concern, my lady!"

"Madam, there’s someone outside storming in with killing intent, no one can stop him; he insists on seeing you! Oh, and Miss Huanhuan was injured by him!"

It was Wang Liu who came in, looking quite anxious.

Long Yue put down her work, coldly said, "Who? Such audacity to dare strike my maid?"

As she spoke, she dashed out in a flash.

"Pang Longyue, you venomous woman, finally willing to come out?"

Chang Yao, full of hostility, with a sword in hand, hadn’t walked a few steps before Huanhuan, whom he had kicked down, scrambled up and held onto his left leg, refusing to let go.

"Get off!"

Chang Yao, in rage, raised his sword intending to strike down!

"Stop!"

Long Yue rushed in, delivering a punch right at him.

Chang Yao sidestepped to block, his sword twisting to thrust at Long Yue.

"Huanhuan, let go!"

Worrying Chang Yao might accidentally harm Huanhuan, Long Yue quickly ordered. Huanhuan then released him, and the two engaged in a melee.

Chang Yao wielded a sword, while Long Yue often kept a soft leather whip tied around her waist, which she could readily use in a fight.

"Crack!"

Long Yue excelled in blade technique, swordsmanship, and more so with the whip, swiftly gaining the upper hand.

Within just a dozen moves, Long Yue’s whip struck Chang Yao’s wrist, causing the longsword to fall to the ground.

"You..."

Chang Yao, realizing he couldn’t best Long Yue, was furious, his face turned steely blue, his gaze filled with anger, his eyes bloodshot, showing the depths of his frustration.

"You viper woman, how dare you do that to Shuang Yue, you... you will face retribution!"

"Chang Yao, those who do evil will ultimately meet their own end. She became like this, didn’t she bring it upon herself? Forging imperial edicts, how dare she claim to be wronged? I disfigured her face; if she feels aggrieved, she could ask the Emperor for justice; does she dare?"

Long Yue sneered, her eyes full of mockery and disdain, "She doesn’t dare, she made the mistake herself, I relieved the Emperor of worry; the Emperor should be glad, yet only a fool like you would readily serve as her mere pawn!"

"You... who are you calling a fool?"

Long Yue’s words were so sharp, they directly provoked Chang Yao’s anger, insulting his intelligence — is this something a man can tolerate?

He roared, frenziedly charging towards Long Yue.

Once enraged, a man’s swordplay and blade technique become fierce, coupled with inherently greater strength than a woman, making Long Yue appear to struggle.

Sword swinging, Long Yue’s long whip cracked, the two entangled in fight, with neither gaining the upper hand.

Suddenly, Chang Yao found an opening, thrusting his sword towards Long Yue’s neck. Long Yue dodged instinctively, but his sword nicked a few strands of her hair.

A gust of wind blew, and Long Yue’s locks danced like butterflies, brushing past Chang Yao’s face.

The warm breeze carried the faint scent from her hair, penetrating into Chang Yao’s nostrils.

Chang Yao was momentarily stunned, his body rigid.

This scent... familiar, too familiar, he would never forget in his life!

Back in those days on the houseboat, when he almost perished in the fire, a woman saved him, and when he threw himself on her back, he smelled this faint plum blossom fragrance from her hair.

Very delicate, yet very pleasant!

A thought suddenly flashed through his mind, but quickly he extinguished it; absurd, too absurd, why would he even think that?

In shame and annoyance, he turned sharply, yelling angrily at Long Yue: "Pang Longyue, you venomous woman, you don’t deserve to have this plum blossom scent!"