Chapter 29: Tyrant! Big Brother! I Beg You to Depose Me as Your Empress

She lifted her gaze to Feng Changye, forcing a trace of apology into her eyes. “What I fear is failing Your Majesty. Once this spreads, it may damage Your Majesty’s enlightened reputation and turn you into a laughingstock over tea and idle talk among the people…”

When she finished, she lowered her head again, adopting the posture of someone ready to die.

“This concubine begs Your Majesty to depose me—strip me of my title, reduce me to a commoner, and exile me to Lingnan. My conduct is unworthy, my name is stained. I know I am not fit to be Your Majesty’s wife. Please do not show leniency for the Zhu family’s loyalty—issue the decree and depose me!”

Feng Changye had not expected to hear such words from this transmigrated woman.

He stared at her in astonishment.

Seeing her always laughing and fooling around, who would have thought that, when it came to serious matters, she could be so clear-headed?

If it were another woman, upon learning that her husband not only would not shield her but also intended to make her disgrace public, she would surely resent him as heartless and unjust.

But the woman before him felt not the slightest resentment!

She wasn’t only sensible—she understood him.

For his sake, she actually asked to be deposed of her own accord!

This was exactly the kind of considerate, understanding companion he had always wanted at his side…

Was this, perhaps, the very purpose Heaven had in sending this woman through time to Great Ning? A confidante delivered to him by fate?

Just as he was moved by his own thoughts, he suddenly heard the conversation between the woman and her system in her heart.

His expression changed at once.

【Host, your acting is superb!】

The system said eagerly, even simulating applause, wildly clapping for Zhu Wuhuan.

Still holding her bow, Zhu Wuhuan replied with a grin, 【Who says I’m acting? This time, I’m serious!】

Before the system could ask, she continued:

She sighed. 【Look, I just drove the Empress Dowager into a faint. In a moment, her most beloved younger son, the Jin Prince, will be confined because of me. When she wakes up, won’t she hate me to death?】

【Once we return to the palace—that battlefield where she’s schemed all her life—that’s her home turf. How could I be her match? If she targets me, I might die without even knowing how. Under these circumstances, it’s better to get far away from the capital.】

【There’s another reason: after today’s clash, I realized I might not be a match for the tyrant!】

【See? Here I was, the mantis stalking the cicada, and he had Ji Yunzhang as the oriole behind, netting me and the Jin Prince in one sweep. He’s that good at the game—how could I possibly outplay him right under his nose?】

【So at times like this, we can’t confront him head-on—we should avoid the sharp edge and get away from him!】

【So I’m using this chance to ask him to depose me and exile me to Lingnan!】

【In the eyes of the ancients, Lingnan is a miasmic backwater where the Way of the sages doesn’t reach. But we who’ve crossed over know it’s the wealthy Chaoshan region, a coastal land!】

【Once we get there, we can use knowledge from later eras to develop the economy, then head to the coast to build ships, develop a navy, research gunpowder. When the time comes, won’t we be able to lead our fleet and take all of Great Ning?】

【I’ve thought it through—this is the path we should take!】

【What can we accomplish under the tyrant’s very eyes? Only by leaving him can we truly shine, don’t you think?】

Hearing this, the system voiced its full support.

【The host is right! As long as you keep your heart set on bringing down the tyrant, you can choose any arena you like. By the way, the system has plenty of materials on shipbuilding and gunpowder. As long as you complete missions and earn points, you can exchange them with the system! With the system’s help, whatever the host wants to make, the host can make!】

It even quietly tried to whitewash itself.

【The system isn’t useless at all—it’s omnipotent. You just don’t have the points yet to exchange!】

In high spirits at the thought of escaping, Zhu Wuhuan couldn’t be bothered to call it out, and answered perfunctorily, 【Mm, you’re not useless. Your “power-up pills” are actually pretty handy.】

Hearing the pair’s inner dialogue, all of Feng Changye’s momentary tenderness and sense of having found a kindred spirit instantly evaporated.

His gaze on Zhu Wuhuan turned cold.

This damned woman!

He’d thought she truly considered his position when she spoke; he’d thought she was genuinely sensible!

In the end, all those words were just to secure her own escape!

So much for his earlier warmth and joy.

He should never harbor any hopes for such a heartless woman!

He ground his teeth.

Heh. She thinks she can just leave his side? Not if he has anything to say about it!

He hadn’t exhausted her usefulness yet. He would not allow her to go anywhere. For the rest of her life, she would be trapped at his side!

With that thought, Feng Changye took two steps forward.

“What crime has the Empress committed?”

He slipped into his own performance in an instant and lightly took hold of the tip of her finger.

Even if he had to act with her, he still refused too much physical contact; he was thoroughly disdainful of touching her.

Zhu Wuhuan, who had been eagerly awaiting the tyrant’s decree of deposition, froze at those words.

She jerked her head up to look at Feng Changye.

What did you say? What crime?

Big brother, are you serious? Your wife has another man in her heart and met him in secret—and so many people saw it. Aren’t you embarrassed?

If your Empress has made you, the Emperor, lose face, isn’t that her crime?

You’re supposed to be a tyrant—depose the Empress! Hurry up and depose me!

Listening to her inner voice, Feng Changye fought the urge for his lips to curve upward.

He held her gaze and spoke with feeling.

“In the garden, when the Empress proclaimed her loyalty to Us, We heard every word. You met the Jin Prince only to test his wolfish ambition on Our behalf, not to dally with him. We understand.”

“And now, for Our sake, you are willing to make your past acquaintance with the Jin Prince public—willing to let your own reputation be marred if it allows Us to confine him as We wish. This loyalty, this feeling, moves Us deeply!”

“Once the Jin Prince is confined, you will be a meritorious one. At that time, We ought to richly reward you—how could We possibly depose you?”

He released her fingertip and declared with authority, “When We return to the palace, We shall reward the Empress well.”

Then, pausing, he suddenly leaned close, deliberately lowering his voice at her ear.

“What does the Empress desire? Gold and jade, deep-sea coral? Rouge and powder, silks and satins? Or…”

He looked into her eyes with meaning,

then bent to her ear and, in a suggestive murmur, breathed the final few words.