Chapter 31: The Beautiful Princess vs. The Mad Tyrant (8)

Ning Wanguan’s heart gave a hard thump—her panic was obvious to the naked eye.

He withdrew his smile, his long lashes lowering as he let out a brooding sigh. “What are you so nervous about?”

“Me? Nervous?” She sneered. “Not really. You’re not that impressive anyway, and your skills are just so-so. Honestly, I sincerely suggest you take some kidney supplements…”

He fell silent for a moment, finding her little mouth rather irritating at times.

Aside from moans, she really shouldn’t be making any sound at all.

As his expression turned cold, a suffocating aura of murder surged forth.

Ning Wanguan suddenly didn’t dare meet his eyes. She lowered her head, and under the dim lighting, his upper body came into view—every muscle was sharply defined, firm and taut, exuding a kind of heart-stopping strength.

The cloth in her hand grazed his chest in a half-hearted, perfunctory manner, much like a slacking worker cutting corners on an assembly line.

The man closed his eyes, tilting his head back slightly to rest against the edge of the wooden tub. His expression remained emotionless—cold yet languid, giving off a sense of relaxation.

Yet, the veins on his neck were tense and pronounced, betraying the strain beneath his composed facade.

The tub was small, forcing their bodies into close proximity.

Ning Wanguan’s heart pounded erratically.

After all this torment, she was truly exhausted, yet she still remained on high alert.

She couldn’t figure out his temperament. He refused to respond to both softness and force, acting like a complete madman. She had no idea what her next step should be.

With a lunatic like Pei Tingche, winning his heart was out of the question.

So she’d have to seduce his body instead.

There was probably another fierce battle ahead. Her gaze drifted toward the clothes scattered on the floor—her precious treasure pouch was tied to the sash of that robe.

And before that battle began, she needed to swallow a fertility pill.

Slowly, she started rising, attempting to slip out of the tub.

Just then, the man’s deep voice rang out.

“Someone, come in.”

She froze, her body halfway out of the water.

The door creaked open, and several palace maids quickly stepped inside, bowing as they greeted, “Your Majesty.”

In a panic to avoid exposure, Ning Wanguan immediately plunged back into the water, sending ripples splashing everywhere.

The man’s brow furrowed tightly, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged as he gripped the edge of the tub.

The young palace maids seemed utterly unfazed, their expressions remaining calm as if they had long been accustomed to such scenes.

His long lashes lowered, momentarily concealing his emotions before his cold voice ordered, “Change the bed linens.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Upon receiving the command, the maids swiftly stripped the bedding—sheets, blankets, pillows—replacing everything with fresh, clean ones.

Ning Wanguan wished she could dig a hole and bury herself in it.

But at this moment, the only place she could hide was Pei Tingche’s chest.

Her body trembled slightly as she pressed herself against him, too ashamed to lift her head.

“Add more hot water,” he said, his voice returning to its usual calm.

Soon after, two palace maids carried in basins of hot water and began pouring it in, ladle by ladle.

Ning Wanguan lowered her head, her wet hair falling over her face.

Suddenly, a hand reached out and lifted her chin. She was forced to tilt her head up, her lips parting slightly.

Before she could say a word, the man bent down and kissed her fiercely.

Her face flushed instantly, the redness spreading all the way to the tips of her ears.

She wasn’t sure if it was from the heat of the water, his kiss, or the fact that two palace maids were standing right there, watching.

The kiss didn’t go deep, and he released her quickly.

He had done it on purpose.

The maids pouring water finally got a clear look at her face.

She was the former Princess Changyu of the fallen Great Qi.

The two maids were shocked. They never expected the deposed princess to have such an intimate relationship with His Majesty.

With the tub refilled and the bed linens replaced, the palace maids quietly withdrew, closing the door behind them.

The moment the door shut, Ning Wanguan stood up in a hurry, dripping wet as she climbed out of the water. “I’m done bathing.”

If she soaked any longer, her skin would start to wrinkle.

She stepped out of the tub. Pei Tingche didn’t stop her.

But she lost her balance and fell to the floor.

He turned his head to look at her, his voice soft yet menacing.

“Did I say you could leave?”

Outside, the torrential rain poured relentlessly, pounding against the ground.

He was punishing her.

“Not that impressive?”

“Just so-so skills?”

“Kidney supplements?”

“Hmm?”

This man was truly petty.

The sound of rain battered against the eaves, interspersed with the deafening rumble of thunder, as if signaling the end of the world.

The Next Day

The man got up, palace maids attending to his attire. When Eunuch Su entered Yanfu Hall, he was momentarily surprised to see the girl still fast asleep on the bed.

“Your Majesty, this…?”

“Summon an imperial physician to check on her.”

“As you command.”

Eunuch Su dared not ask further.

The Great Qi was long gone. The empire now belonged to Pei Tingche. The former Princess Changyu was nothing more than a lowly commoner. If His Majesty had chosen to favor her, it was her fortune.

After morning court, Pei Tingche returned to his study, where Eunuch Su followed him in with a grave expression.

“Your Majesty…”

“Hmm.” He continued reviewing memorials without even lifting his eyes.

Eunuch Su hesitated before speaking in a lower voice. “Three days ago, as per Your Majesty’s orders, this servant had the Princess thrown into the snake pit. But somehow… she managed to escape.”

That underground pit was specially used for executions, filled with venomous serpents collected from all over the country.

No one had ever survived the snake pit.

“I personally oversaw the palace servants throwing her in,” Eunuch Su continued. “But today, when I checked the pit again, several giant pythons and venomous snakes had been skinned alive and hung up inside the prison, dried by the wind.”

Just thinking about the snake skins being peeled off by Ning Wanguan sent chills down his spine. But looking at her frail body, he found it hard to believe.

Eunuch Su cautiously speculated, “Could there be a powerful figure secretly aiding the princess?”

Pei Tingche’s brows furrowed.

A year ago, he had personally strangled her to death. And yet, here she was, standing in front of him, alive and daring to mock him.

And if there really was a powerful figure protecting her, she should have escaped the palace immediately, not come to Yanfu Hall to find him.

Seeing Pei Tingche’s frown deepen, Eunuch Su asked again, “Your Majesty, should we administer poison this time? This servant will personally ensure she swallows it.”

Pei Tingche’s lips twitched, his voice icy.

“No need. Just keep a close watch on her. Don’t let her escape.”

“…As you command.”

Eunuch Su sighed inwardly.

This Princess Changyu… was truly hard to kill!