Chapter 497: This Is No Longer a Play

Chapter 497: This Is No Longer a Play

Within the holy temple, pearls warm and soft.

Sisi knelt before him, clad in solemn regalia, her head lifted to gaze at Zhao Changhe, a hint of allure flickering in her eyes.

In her attire, her posture, the surroundings—no words were needed—this was far more seductive than her usual flirtatious demeanor.

Zhao Changhe’s throat bobbed again.

His intent was to teach those outside a lesson, to make them kneel and watch their queen serve the holy envoy, a blow to their clan’s spirit and pride.

But he never truly meant to act on it, for the lesson was for them, not Sisi. To toy with Sisi would be bullying...

Sisi’s kneeling was originally just a ritual of worship meant for others to see; between them, there was never such formality. Earlier, when she went to call him for dinner, a servant knelt, and Sisi casually pulled her up, without any such intention.

Logically, Sisi was too clever not to understand his intent. She only needed to put on a show, and once the door closed, she could rise.

Yet Sisi did not stand. Not only did she not stand, but she also looked up, her eyes brimming with allure. What man could resist such a psychological experience?

Inevitably, he wondered: if she was willing, what need was there for pretense? Back then, he had held her in his arms, even done foot therapy... and earlier, in his dream, with that murderous aura, it seemed she had already...

The words “Get up, no need to act anymore” stuck in his throat, never uttered.

Seeing him frozen there, Sisi revealed a faint smile and actually began to slowly...

“Sss...”

This vixen...

This act was not unfamiliar to Zhao Changhe; Chi Chi and Huangfu Qing had both done it, merely as bedchamber pleasures, with no special psychological weight on either side. But this time, there was little sensation, transferred to Sisi herself, yet the psychology was truly different...

A sense of conquest overflowed.

Perhaps he could never be as pure a knight as Hong Ling... In that moment, what flashed through his mind was Zhuque’s crimson lips and Huangfu Qing’s words: “What if Zhuque knelt before you?”

Sisi blinked, sensing his heightened state...

She herself almost lost composure. During the foot therapy earlier, her whole body ached, and she felt little. Now, with the pain gone... it turned out this method could bring a man such pleasure, far more than when he and Yue Hongling had cultivated together that afternoon.

Sisi thought wryly: Was this what they called self-indulgence?

Just as this thought crossed her mind, the sensation vanished.

The pain-transferring gu had completed its full day, ending precisely.

Zhao Changhe nearly convulsed.

Sisi secretly glanced up at his expression, their eyes meeting, both wearing strange looks.

Sisi lowered her head again.

Zhao Changhe: “...”

He only wanted to pull this vixen up and press her onto the throne.

His hand reached out, then suddenly paused.

Dare he do that?

He had just spoken of this with Yue Hongling—this pain-transferring gu hadn’t even been detected by the Qinghe Mirror. If something like a heart-linked gu were involved, who knew the outcome? He would truly be undone by a woman’s charms...

Sisi seemed to understand. She lowered her eyelids and silently bowed her head.

Indeed, some gu could only be planted through intimacy... but not all such things were harmful...

It wasn’t that he was being overly cautious; even she couldn’t fully trust herself.

...

In silence, half an hour passed. Sisi sat on Zhao Changhe’s lap, leaning against his chest, murmuring: “It was faster before, weren’t you doing that on purpose?”

Zhao Changhe didn’t know himself. He could only say: “I was injured then, lacking vitality...”

“Heh...”

“What’s with the ‘heh’...” Zhao Changhe’s emotions were tangled, unsure how to converse, but he unconsciously lowered his head and kissed her forehead: “You’ve been exhausted all day, more tired than anyone. Rest.”

Feeling his tenderness, Sisi was almost pleasantly surprised. She looked up at him, blinking, and a smile spread across her face.

So he did like her; he just dared not admit it.

Sisi smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck, nestling against his chest and whispering: “That little fatigue is nothing compared to the life-and-death struggles you’ve faced, my lord... Besides... Sisi deserves punishment.”

When she said “deserves punishment,” her voice dropped very low, whether referring to bearing this punishment for her people or something else.

Zhao Changhe was about to ponder, but Sisi directly cut off his thoughts, murmuring: “Your servant doesn’t need rest. I can go out now... Hmm, consider it a plea for them—they’ve knelt long enough... And watching their queen toyed with and whipped inside, that lesson is humiliating enough...”

“...Did I whip you?”

“Sisi wants my lord to whip her.”

“...” Zhao Changhe coughed dryly, stood up holding her: “Forget it, let’s go out.”

As he moved to set her down, Sisi clung to him, refusing to let go, and whispered in his ear: “Carry me out. Let them see.”

Zhao Changhe complied, holding her as he strode out of the hall.

The temple doors slowly opened. Outside, under the night’s bonfire, countless people knelt in orderly rows. Hearing the doors creak open, they all looked up.

The newly crowned queen, her hair disheveled and cheeks flushed, lay limp and powerless in the man’s arms, like a plush toy that had just been thoroughly ravished.

Strange as it was, instead of shame or indignation, many felt this was only natural. Some even breathed a sigh of relief.

Since the queen had taken their place, the god would not punish others...

Perhaps this was subtly different from human relations, for it represented the divine. Humanity’s primal faith in gods stemmed from fear of the heavens’ power.

Too much familiarity bred irreverence.

Even toward this queen who served the god with her body, no one looked down on her. Instead, a sense of indebtedness welled up in everyone’s hearts. After a moment of silence, they all spoke in unison: “Greetings to the Holy Envoy, greetings to Your Majesty.”

Only then did Sisi slip down from Zhao Changhe’s arms, still leaning softly against him, and said calmly: “I am weary. That will be all for tonight. At the hour of the rabbit tomorrow morning, come to the hall for council.”

“Yes.” The crowd kowtowed, bowed respectfully, and dispersed.

Sisi watched the ebbing tide of people and sighed softly, lowering her voice: “I need some time to stabilize the kingdom. My next moves will require your counsel.”

Zhao Changhe no longer said things like “decide for yourself.” He simply hummed in acknowledgment: “Go on.”

“Not to boast, but if the Spirit Clan were to emerge en masse from the secret realm, they could sweep through Miao territory. The Black Miao would be no match for me,” Sisi said seriously. “But first, the old ways of most of my people won’t change overnight, and I cannot act too willfully. Second, I’m not sure if the Spirit Clan’s large-scale appearance in the mortal world would bring harm. Third, the reaction of the Xia people is unpredictable—it might invite disaster instead. Fourth... whether you would like it.”

Zhao Changhe looked at Sisi with some surprise, then suddenly laughed: “I feel like I’m meeting you for the first time.”

Sisi smiled: “Because we were all acting before. It’s time to step off the stage, my lord.”

“Then why do you still call me ‘my lord’?”

Sisi’s eyes shimmered, and she said softly: “But this is no longer a play.”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Sisi said: “So, what does my lord think?”

Zhao Changhe replied: “Whether I like it or not isn’t important; the practical issues are what matter. A large-scale exodus does have many problems. Take it slowly—let those who wish to go out go out. The chaos in Miao territory is also due to end. As for the Xia people’s reaction... I suggest you submit a memorial to Tang Wanzhuang later, stating that the Spirit Kingdom is willing to be the southwestern buffer of Great Xia, and Great Xia can grant a title. Then all will be peaceful.”

Sisi laughed. Tang Wanzhuang, knowing what was happening here, would probably have her eyes turn to spring water again. He might not call himself a crown prince, but what he did was more princely than any prince.

Especially since the loyalty of such a vassal state was hard to guarantee. The only one who could keep this kingdom’s loyalty was Zhao Changhe himself.

"Sisi will do as the master says." She merely said this.

Zhao Changhe gave her another peculiar look. "I'm truly going back to rest now."

Sisi said with an air of indifference, "If the master has no intention of summoning Sisi to attend to him tonight, then there's no need to tell Sisi this."

Zhao Changhe pursed his lips, at a loss for how to answer, and left somewhat flustered.

Sisi stood in the night wind atop the mountain, watching his retreating figure from afar, and let out a soft sigh.