Chapter 4: The Country-Bumpkin Tyrant’s Shocked Face! Dumbfounded

The system was speechless. 【Why can’t the host approach tasks with the same enthusiasm as she does with claiming gift packs?】

Zhu Wuhuan coaxed sweetly: 【System! Even a lazy donkey needs a carrot dangled in front of it before grinding the mill. I’m lazier than a donkey—you have to give me a taste of your power first so I’ll have the motivation to do tasks!】

The system fell silent again. For the sake of a prize draw, such shamelessness—it was the first time it had ever seen it.

After a moment of silence, a translucent page appeared out of thin air before Zhu Wuhuan’s eyes.

She focused. It was a circular lottery wheel.

The wheel had twenty-four slots: eighteen of them were “one vial of nutrient solution,” while the remaining six were—beginner-level skills in qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting, plus one Strength Pill, and one Skin Fragrance Pill.

Zhu Wuhuan grumbled: 【System, you’re so stingy. Out of twenty-four prizes, eighteen are just nutrient solution? With such a large ratio, I’m bound to get it. What’s the practical use of that stuff anyway?】

The system replied: 【How is it useless? In the palace, fasting to threaten people is common. One vial of nutrient solution can keep you from feeling hunger for three days. Isn’t that the perfect aid for hunger strikes?】

Zhu Wuhuan rolled her eyes.

Who said anything about fasting?

That tyrant isn’t worthy enough for me to starve myself over!

Tch. …

Out in the courtyard, Feng Changye’s eyes glinted.

When Zhu Wuhuan looked at the prize pool and mentally recited the items, he had heard them all too.

So—beginner-level qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting? Did that mean if she won one, she could gain the skill instantly without study?

And the Strength Pill and Skin Fragrance Pill—what were those? As the names suggested, would the first grant the strength of a great warrior? Would the second make one’s skin exude fragrance?

Even leaving those rare items aside, that “worthless” nutrient solution was astonishing enough!

One vial to stay full for three days—if his soldiers each carried a few, they wouldn’t need supply carts at all and could march effortlessly into battle!

These miraculous things shocked him so much that when he later heard Zhu Wuhuan sneering he wasn’t worth starving over, he stayed calm.

Worth it or not—wasn’t that for him, the emperor, to decide?

If he wanted her to starve, she wouldn’t dare swallow a single bite!

…Inside the bedchamber.

After her grumbling, Zhu Wuhuan closed her eyes and began her draw.

What if she got lucky and landed on one of the other six slots?

With a light tap of her finger, the pointer spun wildly.

She was so nervous she couldn’t bear to look.

Only when a ding rang out did she snap her eyes open.

Seeing the result, she nearly jumped in excitement!

【The Strength Pill! I actually got the Strength Pill!】

She pounded her chest in glee.

【Oh my god, system, why don’t you have a physical form? If you did, I’d hug you and kiss you to death! I love you so much!】

The system was stunned too.

A one-in-twenty-four chance—and she actually hit it?

Once past the shock, it felt faintly pleased.

This host’s luck wasn’t bad at all. Luck was part of strength too—the better her luck, the higher their mission success rate!

So it sincerely congratulated her: 【Congratulations, host. Will you take the Strength Pill now?】

Zhu Wuhuan glanced around warily. 【Will it cause any side effects?】

The system answered: 【Rest assured, none at all. However… the Strength Pill will stimulate your muscle cells, tripling your physical strength. For the next three hours, your muscles will be in a heightened state. You’ll need to control yourself carefully or you could easily cause destruction.】

Zhu Wuhuan was reassured. 【Transmit it into my palm then. I’ll take it right away.】

In the next instant, a small bluish pill appeared in her fair palm.

She examined it briefly, then swiftly tossed it into her mouth.

Strength was the sort of thing best secured early—only then could she feel safe!

Just after she swallowed, footsteps sounded at the door.

Turning her head, she saw—it was Feng Changye, who had already left earlier!

She cursed inwardly. Why was this tyrant back again?

Quickly, she gulped, grateful she had already swallowed the pill. Otherwise, if he saw it, he’d start questioning where it came from, and explaining it away would be impossible.

Feng Changye, hearing her thoughts, paused slightly in his stride.

Lowering his gaze, a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes.

Already swallowed?

When he’d heard her win the Strength Pill out in the courtyard, he had immediately rushed in—hoping to witness how the system would transmit it into her hand.

But he was one step too late.

Zhu Wuhuan had already swallowed it.

He masked his emotions in a blink, walking in with his usual composure.

Seeing Zhu Wuhuan only in her underclothes, his brows furrowed.

Improper attire—how disgraceful!

Then his eyes shifted to her empress robes tossed carelessly aside.

This attire symbolizing the throne and imperial status—she discarded it so casually?

Zhu Wuhuan followed his gaze to the garments on the floor, utterly unconcerned, sitting steady as a mountain.

Her thoughts: What are you looking at? Empress robes are nothing. I’m going to eliminate you and become empress myself. Sooner or later, I’ll strip your dragon robe and wear it instead!

Feng Changye’s gaze darkened. He wanted nothing more than to have her torn to pieces at once!

“Empress?” He stood with hands clasped behind his back, looking down coldly, waiting for her to rise and salute.

“Eh?” Zhu Wuhuan looked at him too, waiting for him to speak.

Neither moved—just staring at each other.

A few seconds later, Feng Changye said slowly, “So the empress has given up, and no longer puts me in her eyes?”

“…” Zhu Wuhuan slapped her forehead. Oh right, she’d forgotten to kneel and salute this tyrant.

Unwillingly, she stood, slowly lowered herself to kneel.

As she did, she cursed inwardly.

Fine, I’ll salute! I’ll just pretend you’ve already died! I’m giving you an early funeral! My grandest courtesy to you—rest in peace!

“…” Feng Changye’s gaze turned razor-sharp at her inner words.

Audacious!

Fury rose in him. He wanted to execute her on the spot!

But then… a sudden thought unsettled him.

Wait—was it only this insolent transmigrated woman who thought such rebellious things while kneeling? Or did every minister and servant who knelt before him secretly think the same?

If every one of them, while chanting “Long live the emperor,” secretly prayed for his death and funeral…

How could he ever look at them the same again?

“Enough. Seeing how unwilling you are, the salute is unnecessary.”

He said coolly.

Anyone else would have been terrified, instantly kneeling to beg forgiveness.

But Zhu Wuhuan was different.

She straightened her back promptly, satisfied, and even thanked him, “This concubine thanks Your Majesty.”

Feng Changye stared at her deeply.

Heh. Truly audacious—no wonder she dreams of eliminating me.

With a flick of his sleeve, he turned to leave.

“Come with me to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.”

This woman had just swallowed the Strength Pill. The system had said she might lose control for three hours and cause destruction.

He wanted her right under his eyes, to see with his own eyes just how powerful that pill was!

Zhu Wuhuan frowned, watching his tall, straight figure.

Was he insane? To the Hall of Supreme Harmony?

Had he forgotten that only a quarter of an hour ago, he himself ordered her confined to the Palace of Eternal Joy?

So, His Majesty’s words were just as unreliable as farts, then?