Chapter 25: The Beautiful Princess vs. The Madly Obsessed Tyrant

Beep beep beep beep—System has activated the [Target Protection Mechanism].

Ning Wanguan froze for a moment and asked, “What is this now?”

The system calmly replied, “When the target’s danger index exceeds 80%, to prevent the host from counter-killing the target, the system will automatically activate the protection mechanism to ensure the target’s physical safety.”

“So my combat ability is completely useless against the target?”

“Correct!”

Ning Wanguan was dumbfounded. “Then what about Wei Chenheng from the last world? Why didn’t he have this?”

System: “Wei Chenheng’s danger index was only 50%.”

Ning Wanguan became uneasy. “What about Pei Tingche?”

System: “99%.”

Ning Wanguan was utterly furious. “This protection mechanism is ridiculous! The officials are allowed to set fires, but the commoners can’t even light a lamp?!”

The system ignored her complaints: “Entering the storyline. Host, please prepare! Countdown: three, two, one!”

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“Princess! Princess! Wake up!”

Ning Wanguan was shaken so violently that her head throbbed in pain. A crisp voice kept calling out to her.

She wearily opened her eyes and saw a round little face close to hers. The girl looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed like a palace maid.

“Princess, you’re finally awake! We have to run! The—the Imperial Guards have breached the city!”

Terror filled the maid’s eyes as she disregarded palace etiquette, half-dragging and half-pulling Ning Wanguan off the soft couch.

Ning Wanguan hesitated for a moment, fragments of memories slowly surfacing in her mind. She snapped fully awake.

She was now inside the imperial palace, and the palace maid before her was Xianglan, the personal maid who had grown up with Princess Changyu.

She remembered—this was the 40th year of the Great Qi Dynasty, on the Laba Festival.

Inside the palace, ancestral and divine rituals were being held. At the banquet earlier, she had gotten drunk and left early.

Laba Festival?!

The day the Great Qi Dynasty fell!!!

Ning Wanguan’s expression changed drastically. With a loud creak, she pushed open the door and looked up at the pitch-black night.

Suddenly, the dark sky exploded into a dazzling display of fire and silver light, streaking across the horizon before vanishing in an instant.

The night plunged into silence once more.

Then, in the distance, the sound of war horns echoed through the palace, followed by the battle cries of soldiers.

Lifting the hem of her skirt, Ning Wanguan hurried through the palace corridors, racing toward the main hall.

The sky was drenched in thick ink, so dark that even the stars had lost their light.

Before she even reached the hall, a scout’s trembling voice pierced the night:

“Report! The rebel army has entered the city! Protect His Majesty! Protect His Majesty!”

Thousands of soldiers swarmed in, shields raised high under the darkness. Palace servants scattered in all directions, yet the vast palace suddenly seemed to have no place to hide.

Inside the grand hall, the cries of people begging for mercy rose to the heavens.

Ning Wanguan shuddered at the chilling wails, her whole body trembling.

Pei Tingche was inside that hall—should she go in or not?

Before her, thick smoke billowed. Behind her, frightened palace servants fled in chaos. Around her, the cold wind howled. And inside the hall, the desperate cries shook the heavens.

The once-mighty Imperial Guards, brimming with fighting spirit, were nowhere to be seen.

With Pei Tingche’s coup, a century of Great Qi’s imperial power and glory crumbled overnight, turning to dust.

She hesitated for a long time but finally took a step toward the grand hall.

Two imperial guards immediately blocked her path.

Ning Wanguan lifted her chin and said calmly, “I want to see Pei Tingche!”

In the next second, a sword was pressed against her neck.

“Impudent!” One of the guards shouted angrily. “How dare you address His Majesty by name! Do you have a death wish?!”

Inside the grand hall, someone seemed to hear the commotion. A hushed voice relayed a message, and soon after, a man with a limp—dressed as a eunuch—hobbled out.

She recognized this eunuch.

He had once served in the palace of Pei Tingche’s mother, Consort Yun.

After Consort Yun’s death, the palace servants either perished or were crippled. This eunuch, Eunuch Su, had been sent to the Cold Palace.

Eunuch Su glanced at Ning Wanguan and said coldly, “Princess Changyu, this way, please.”

Ning Wanguan followed him into the hall.

The moment she entered, her eyes locked onto the dragon throne.

Pei Tingche sat there in a black robe, leaning against the chair. At first glance, his face was strikingly handsome, yet his presence was bone-chilling.

His phoenix eyes, as dark as obsidian, were slightly narrowed, their depths exuding a languid indifference. His nose was high, and his lips thin.

Ning Wanguan stopped in her tracks, straightened her back, and met his gaze head-on.

Pei Tingche curled his lips into a mocking smile.

“So, my dear Seventh Sister is here. How wonderful. Now, the whole family is together at last.”

It had only been a year since she last saw him, yet he seemed like a completely different person—like he had been reborn.

More insane than ever.

A shiver ran down Ning Wanguan’s spine. Just as she was about to speak, a frantic voice interrupted her.

“Changyu! Run! Why did you come?! Tingche, I beg you! No matter what, Changyu is still your sister!”

The voice belonged to Princess Changyu’s birth mother, the Empress of Qi.

Ning Wanguan suddenly realized—aside from the Empress, her father, Emperor Qi, the consorts, princes, princesses, eunuchs, and ministers were all in the hall.

But they were all kneeling, with swords pressed against their necks.

All trembling in fear.

Truly, the whole family was together.

“Mother!”

She tried to walk toward the Empress but was immediately stopped by two guards who pressed a sword against her throat.

“Kneel.”

Ning Wanguan glanced at the blade, lowered her gaze, and gracefully knelt.

“Changyu greets Fourth Imperial Brother.”

“Fourth Imperial Brother?”

Pei Tingche sneered, his gaze filled with contempt. “Now you want to play family? Seventh Sister, how forgetful you are. Have you forgotten what you called me six years ago in my mother’s palace? A filthy, lowborn Pei bastard?”

Ning Wanguan kept her head lowered, saying nothing, though inwardly, she cursed him. This damn man! He was the one who called me ‘Sister’ first, but now that I call him ‘Brother,’ he’s offended?

Pei Tingche’s eyes grew even colder at the mention of his mother.

“Consort Duan.”

The named consort trembled violently, turning deathly pale as she hurriedly kowtowed.

“F-Fourth Prince—no, Y-Your Majesty! Please spare me!”

“I’m in quite a good mood today,” Pei Tingche said with a cold smile. “Tell me in detail—how did you frame my mother for an affair with the head steward back then?”

Consort Duan’s face changed drastically, and she began knocking her head against the ground frantically.

“Your Majesty, please spare me! I didn’t—!”

His gaze sharpened, his voice turning icy. “Since you don’t want to speak, then throw her into the snake pit.”

“I’ll talk! I’ll talk!” Consort Duan sobbed in terror. “It was the Empress! The Empress ordered me to do it!”

The Empress’s face darkened. “Consort Duan, you wretched woman! What nonsense are you spouting?!”

Consort Duan wept bitterly. “If not for you! You were jealous of the Fourth Prince’s talent and favor! To secure the Crown Prince’s position for the Third Prince, you framed Consort Yun, saying she had an affair with the head steward—how else would she have died?!”

The moment she spoke, everyone’s eyes turned toward the Empress.