Chiyou lowered her eyes and glanced at her body. She was only wearing an inner garment, her skin faintly visible beneath. Her two slender white legs swayed enchantingly in the water.
She narrowed her eyes slightly. What did he mean by this?
“Your Excellency is not cold, but I am injured and cannot soak in such cold water. Forgive me, I cannot accompany you.”
With a clang, the wine cup hit her shoulder.
Chiyou’s body went limp, and she fell back into the water.
Her eyes turned red with anger. She didn’t know what madness had seized him. Not wanting to deal with this beast, she lay by the edge of the pool and circulated her inner energy to recuperate.
The thought of him kissing her for so long made her want to claw him to death.
But she could only appear at night, and the imperial family of Daliang was full of his spies. It was truly a perilous situation.
Thinking this, she turned her head and looked at the person opposite her who was resting with his eyes closed, then spoke.
“This is not right. I must return to the palace.”
Inside the room, there was silence. He still kept his eyes closed, completely ignoring her.
Chiyou narrowed her eyes slightly. She thought for a moment, then her alluring figure swayed like aquatic plants as she swam towards him.
Liu Rongruo sensed her presence and opened his eyes slightly.
She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, her soft, pale body leaning into his embrace. She breathed out fragrant air by his ear.
“Your Excellency, you’re not reluctant to see me leave, are you?”
She gazed at him with captivating eyes, a smile as charming as a siren’s playing on her lips, as if trying to ensnare his soul.
Liu Rongruo’s expression was indifferent. He reached out, grasped her chin, and lifted it forcefully.
“Is the water cold?”
“---”
Chiyou did not understand his meaning, only feeling her hand on his neck trembling with cold.
“Cold.”
The water in the pool was bone-chillingly cold, even colder than the snow on Mount Tianshan in her homeland.
“Then you shall soak here for the night.”
Chiyou, “---”
Liu Rongruo put down his wine cup, shook off her hand, and was about to get out of the water.
Chiyou gritted her teeth in her heart and quickly reached out to grab his leg.
“I am the Emperor’s consort. It is this late; I should return to Qutai Palace.”
What was he trying to do? Did he want her to soak in cold water all night, to freeze her to death?
“From now on, you will live here. There is no need to go to Qutai Palace.”
Chiyou’s body stiffened. “What do you mean? You want me to live with you?”
What madness was this? If she lived here with him, what freedom would she have?
Liu Rongruo stood on the jade steps, water dripping from his body, looking down at her from his superior position.
She was only wearing a white inner garment, soaking in the medicinal bath. The wet garment clung tightly to her body, outlining her voluptuous figure. Her dark hair spread out on the water’s surface like mist.
In the lamplight, her small face was gorgeously flushed, captivatingly beautiful.
He glanced at the hand gripping the hem of his robe and said in a flat tone, “Let go.”
Chiyou held onto him tightly, her voice softening.
“I was scared for a moment and accidentally struck Your Excellency. I was wrong, but I am injured now. If I soak in the water all night, I will die.”
Liu Rongruo’s expression remained unchanged, as if to say, *So what?*
Chiyou was so angry she wanted to pounce on him and bite him to death.
He brushed her hand away and turned to leave.
Chiyou felt her wounds split open, the pain causing her to curl up.
She bit her lip fiercely, forcing herself to stay conscious. Seeing the person behind the screen about to leave, she quickly pushed herself up from the water and went to embrace him.
Liu Rongruo’s freshly changed clothes were instantly soaked by her.
He lowered his eyes to look at the bundle in his arms, remaining silent for a moment.
“Your Excellency, aren’t you just lusting after my body?”
She raised her eyes and hooked him.
“Your Excellency, protect me as I live in Daliang, and I will submit to Your Excellency’s disposal.”
Liu Rongruo raised an eyebrow.
Their eyes met, neither speaking.
The candlelight flickered, crackling and hissing.
He suddenly swept her up into his arms and threw her into the湯池 (tang chi - hot spring bath) behind them.
With a splash, water erupted.
The icy cold water instantly submerged her.
Chiyou was stunned, then with rage, she poked her head out from under the water, glaring at him.
He stood by the edge of the pool, his eyelids lowered, looking at her indifferently.
“Are you not keeping yourself pure for your brother?”
Her wounds burst open, the myriad pains on her body piercing like needles.
Chiyou covered the blood flowing out, lowered the emotions in her eyes, and looked at him with a sarcastic smile.
“The way Your Excellency asks, anyone would think you were jealous.”
As her words fell, Liu Rongruo suddenly laughed. A faint cold light flickered in his deep eyes, and a hint of danger seemed to haze his eyes.
He suddenly crouched down, grabbed her by the neck, and yanked her hard towards the bank.
Chiyou instantly gasped for breath, the pain in her struggling body excruciating. Her hands flailed, trying to grab his hand.
But his hands were like devils, gripping her neck tightly, his hold unyielding.
Her face turned crimson with pain, contorted.
“Let—let go.”
He said nothing, his grip on her tightening bit by bit. His bony knuckles, like bamboo branches, made her shiver with cold.
The crescent moon pierced through the door, casting its cool, clear glow.
In the washroom, a terrifying silence flowed.
He watched her struggle for life quietly. Just as she was about to gasp her last breath, he slowly released his hand.
The moment she was released, Chiyou slumped onto the edge of the pool, coughing violently.
Liu Rongruo stood up, cast a condescending glance at her, and turned to leave.
The pain in Chiyou’s wounds was so severe that she didn’t even have the energy to curse him. When she recovered, she felt so cold that she wanted to get out of the pool, but several maids suddenly appeared, blocking her way.
These were all martial arts practitioners.
She glanced at them, pursed her lips slightly, and leaned against the edge of the pool, clutching her now cold and stiff body.
An impervious beast.
Intentionally tormenting her.
What should she do?
If this continued, she would be trapped here, dying in Daliang.
She had to find a way to break the Toad King Gu as soon as possible.
Without breaking the Toad King Gu, she would never be able to kill Liu Rongruo. And given that fool’s affection for him, she might even be completely devoured by him.
As for Liu Rongruo, he disdained love; he was a man who abhorred emotion and harbored extreme resentment, a beast with a strong desire for revenge. That fool would be bullied to death by him.
However, the Toad King Gu could only be broken by having intercourse with the one one loved, absorbing their vital energy.
He was in Bei Qi, and she was in Daliang; it was impossible to break it.
Moreover, her brother might not help her.
Lost in thought, Chiyou furrowed her brow in frustration. Scenes from the daytime flashed through her mind, and she pursed her lips slightly.
She hadn’t expected herself to save her.
She lowered her face and took a deep breath.
The water in the pool was too cold. Despite curling up, she was still cold, her delicate, clean face frightfully pale.
Her lips chattered with cold. She glanced at the guards around her and secretly circulated her inner energy to recuperate.
Once the Toad King Gu was broken, her cultivation should slowly recover.
The surroundings were silent, not a sound to be heard.
Chiyou was so cold she was about to faint, her entire body chilled.
Seeing no movement outside the hall, she scanned her surroundings, her gaze locking onto a sharp weapon on a tray.
The maids around her kept their heads lowered, not paying attention to her.
She bit her lip secretly, picked up the sharp weapon with extreme speed, and hurled it at them. Her body moved swiftly, knocking out several of them with lightning speed.
She crouched down and grabbed a maid’s head, about to kill her, but hesitated and did not strike.
If they woke up dead tomorrow, that beast would surely know it was her and would kill her.
She released her hand, stood up, and went to a nearby cabinet to find some clothes to change into.
But suddenly, her head spun, her pupils turned a strange red, and she fainted.