Chapter 1 The Imperial Procession

Official road, imperial carriage.

Jiang Chen casually sized up Consort Lü's beautiful face and curvaceous figure, behaving intimately as he said, "Consort, why are you sitting so far away? Am I that frightening? Come, sit next to me!" As he spoke, he patted the empty seat beside him, his meaning quite clear.

Consort Lü avoided his burning gaze, forcing herself to maintain her composure as she said, "Your Majesty, this is inappropriate. Please be mindful of your words!"

"Inappropriate?" Jiang Chen's smile faded as he moved closer, pressing, "What's inappropriate?"

"Consort, don't forget that I am the Emperor of Great Wei. My words are law. What right does a mere consort like you have to question me?!"

His cold gaze landed on her, and Consort Lü's pretty face turned ashen in an instant. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she couldn't muster the courage to retort.

After a long while, she trembled as she lifted her skirt and slowly moved across from him.

Her movements were slow, and she kept glancing around the inside of the carriage. The empty surroundings made her uneasy.

If there were even one or two palace maids or eunuchs present, she wouldn't be so nervous.

Unfortunately, as soon as she stepped into the imperial carriage, that damned Emperor had dismissed the attendants in the carriage. The large space was now occupied by only the two of them, silent yet filled with ambiguous tension.

Seeming to realize this, Consort Lü's heart fluttered slightly, and her already cold face took on an even more frigid expression, exuding an inviolable purity.

Jiang Chen was increasingly aroused by her appearance. He stretched out his arm and grabbed her waist, pulling her into his embrace.

Holding down her struggling hands, he leaned close to her ear and said, "Consort, there are many people outside. If you struggle, they'll all hear it!"

"The commotion won't affect me, but your reputation will be ruined."

Consort Lü's body stiffened, and she helplessly lowered her hands, saying resentfully, "Your Majesty, the purpose of the Feng Chan ceremony is to pray for the fortune of Great Wei and to seek blessings for the people!"

"Aren't you afraid of divine retribution for doing such dirty things along the way?"

Jiang Chen was amused by her words, and his interest in Consort Lü grew even stronger. Smiling, he said, "Oh, Consort is actually concerned about me. I am truly flattered."

As he spoke, Jiang Chen lowered his head and buried his face in Consort Lü's fair neck, taking a deep breath. He said with a wicked smile, "Ah, so fragrant, just the way I like it!"

"And this waist, it's so comfortable to hold, soft and slender..."

Consort Lü's cheeks flushed red with shame at these lewd words. Her phoenix eyes seemed to spit fire, but due to the difference in their physical strength, she was unable to resist. She could only weakly fall into Jiang Chen's arms, allowing him to take liberties.

She was so angry that tears welled up in her eyes and her red lips were tightly pressed together.

Just when she thought this was the limit, Jiang Chen's next action completely terrified her!

His restless hands actually moved to her fair neck, and with a few quick movements, he untied the knot of her *dudou* (a traditional Chinese bodice), forcefully tearing off this most private piece of clothing.

Feeling the slight chill coming from her ample bosom, Consort Lü completely broke down.

A look of terror appeared on her beautiful face, and she struggled violently in Jiang Chen's arms like a fish out of water, completely disregarding whether the commotion would attract the attention of those around them.

Seeing this, Jiang Chen pursed his lips and said coldly, "If Consort continues to be disobedient and throw these little tantrums, I will have to resort to force."

"The mountain people in the Baiyue region recently submitted a memorial requesting the grace of the Celestial Dynasty. If you don't behave, I'll have the sixth and seventh princes pack their things and go to Baiyue after the Feng Chan ceremony."

"That place is a remote backwater, full of poisonous insects and miasma. They've grown up in pampered comfort, and I doubt they can endure such harsh conditions..."

Hearing Jiang Chen's threat, Consort Lü's body trembled, and she stopped struggling, tears streaming down her face.

She said in a hoarse voice, "Your Majesty, you have hundreds, even thousands of beauties in your harem... Why, why must you fixate on me?"

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, with no pity in his eyes. He grabbed her chin and said, "Consort, I am a very vengeful person."

"Since you dared to provoke me, you should have been prepared to pay the price."

"Besides, compared to those who I sent to the execution ground in the capital, you are already very lucky. At least, I have never considered taking your life, have I?"

Meeting Jiang Chen's cold eyes, Consort Lü trembled uncontrollably, and her beautiful eyes, filled with shame and anger, were once again flooded with fear.

He, he knew.

This damned Emperor must know about her keeping assassins.

His actions these past few days were not out of lust, but simply to tease and humiliate her! To see her anxious and disheveled!

Consort Lü's eyes welled up again.

However, this time, the tears were tears of humiliation.

She lowered her eyes, her heart filled with burning anger and a hint of suppressed fear: "I must endure. As long as the plan goes smoothly, this damned Emperor will die without a burial place!"

"By then, all the forbearance will be rewarded. I must not expose myself now!"

…

As the golden crow sank in the west, night fell.

The Feng Chan procession lit torches one after another, traveling at night.

Jiang Zuo Prince stood tall and upright, watching the slowly advancing procession with a gloomy expression. "Has the Consort not returned yet?"

The maid beside him shook her head, glancing cautiously at the bright yellow imperial carriage in the center of the procession. Lowering her voice, she said, "Your Highness, there have been rumors in the palace these past few days, saying that the Consort has already given herself to His Majesty."

"Although this rumor is absurd, this servant believes that it is somewhat credible."

"Although this servant's words are presumptuous, Your Highness, you must prepare yourself."

"If the Consort really becomes intimate with His Majesty, your situation will be very dangerous. After all, what the Consort wants is a child who can ascend the throne... Compared to you, perhaps the Consort will choose to give birth to another imperial son for His Majesty. By then, the entire Lü family..."

*Bang!*

Jiang Zuo Prince punched and broke the door shaft of the carriage. Turning his head, he said grimly, "You should be glad that this Prince does not abuse women."

"Otherwise, this door beam would be your fate!"

Enveloped by a venomous, cold gaze, the maid's legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground with a *plop*. "Your Highness, this servant was wrong. This servant should not have been so talkative. Please forgive this servant for the sake of our past relationship."

"This servant, this servant, did it all for your own good!"

Begging, the maid raised her hand and slapped herself hard several times, hoping to gain the pity of her master.

But Jiang Zuo Prince's cold eyes did not change in the slightest. "Get out. If I ever hear you speak ill of the Consort again, your tongue will not be spared. Understand?"

The maid kowtowed repeatedly, crying bitterly.

She could hear the threat in Jiang Zuo Prince's words. If they were not currently in the company of others, making it inappropriate to carry out private punishment, she would probably have been thrown into the torture chamber at the same time as she finished speaking.

Jiang Zuo Prince ignored the trembling maid on the ground, composed himself, and walked towards the imperial guards in front, saying politely, "This Prince wishes to see His Majesty. Please announce my request."