Chapter 185: Can't Give My Whole Heart

This move is good; the Dog Emperor originally ascended the throne thanks to the Xiao Family, and he's always harbored resentment toward them, yet he can't act against the Xiao Family. After all, the Emperor and the Xiao Family are one.

But if anyone from the Xiao Family dares to move against the Emperor, the nature of things changes.

Who could the Dog Emperor possibly permit to threaten him?

Wan Tang let out a cold laugh in her heart, thinking it was correct: behind the Empress, the Xiao Family also stood.

With the Xiao Family present, how could Chu Yunzheng turn against them?

To make them completely turn hostile, the only way is to make Chu Yunzheng feel threatened.

On the outskirts of the Capital, inside a hidden attic.

Qi Er twirled the thin slip of paper between his fingertips; on it were Wan Tang's delicate yet forceful strokes that seemed to pierce through the paper.

He examined it closely, his mouth slowly curving upward; that smile held no warmth, only bloodthirsty cruelty and cold calculation.

"Heh," he chuckled lowly, rubbing his fingertips; the slip turned into fine powder that fluttered down through the window cracks.

"Virtuous Consort, you're getting better at killing with a borrowed knife."

"But now I can finally act; I've waited so long."

He rose, walked to the window, gazing down at the distant, hazy outline of the Capital; his voice drifted lightly down, yet carried undeniable murderous intent:

"Send orders to leak the names of a few of the Xiao Family's 'loyal dogs'—pick some that aren't too important—and let Ouyang Qing's men find out by accident."

"Make sure those people from today's Spring Gate are included."

"Remember," he added, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes, "make it look natural, as if they themselves had to toil for ages to discover it."

Inside Yangxin Hall, candlelight flickered, casting Chu Yunzheng's face in a faint, wavering pallor.

Ouyang Qing bowed his head and presented a stack of Secret Letters respectfully.

The air in the hall grew stagnant, only the occasional faint crackle of a lantern flower popping.

Chu Yunzheng read the letters one by one, his complexion growing darker, until finally he slammed the stack of papers hard onto the imperial desk!

As the papers fluttered, the veins at his temples bulged, his chest heaving violently with rage.

"Excellent! What a Xiao Family!" his voice was low, yet like a volcano about to erupt, brimming with destructive power, "How dare they stretch their claws beneath my eyelids!"

"Truly my good Yue family!"

Ouyang Qing lowered his head further, speaking cautiously: "Your Majesty, calm your anger; could the Xiao Family's actions be harboring rebellious intent against Your Majesty…"

"They don't have the nerve yet!" Chu Yunzheng shouted, his eyes flashing coldly, "It seems some people in the palace have caught the red‑eye fever and can't sit still!"

"They've set their sights on Tangtang, hoping to use the Xiao Family's blade to kill!"

Ouyang Qing fell silent as a chilled cicada, daring not to continue.

Chu Yunzheng inhaled deeply, suppressing the surging murderous intent, his fingers pressing hard on the cold imperial desk, his knuckles turning white.

He let out a cold laugh, the sound bearing the emperor's unique, unquestionable possessiveness and authority:

"The ones I favor, I want to see who still dares to move against them?!"

"Since the Xiao Family dared to touch those I protect, if I don't give them a taste of color, do they truly think I'm nothing but a clay statue?!"

"Ouyang Qing!"

"Here, my lord!"

"Search for me! Dig up every one of those 'death soldiers' the Xiao Family has buried in the Capital and around me, one by one, and bring them all to me!"

"I will make them know whose blade is the swiftest and sharpest!"

"I obey the decree!" Ouyang Qing felt a chill, knowing the emperor's wrath had risen and the Capital would be swept by a storm of blood.

He bowed to receive the order, hurriedly retreated, each footstep resonating with grim lethality.

Inside Yangxin Hall, deathly silence returned.

Chu Yunzheng stood alone in the hall, his gaze deep as he looked toward Palace of Eternal Joy, murmuring, "Tangtang, I told you I would protect you."

【To be honest, looking at it this way, the Dog Emperor is still quite manly.】

【Don't you think the Dog Emperor is being a total chicken‑thief? Wan Tang is clearly trying to create a rift between the Emperor and the Xiao Family. The Emperor saw right through it; this is something done against Wan Tang.】

【What does it matter? Isn't the Emperor also punishing the Xiao Family for Wan Tang's sake? Raising death soldiers isn't easy; if half are wiped out, the Xiao Family would suffer a severe loss of vitality.】

Wan Tang was making sweet soup in the small kitchen; hearing those words, her complexion darkened instantly.

She immediately said, "I haven't seen the Emperor eat anything today, so I'll still send some food over."

The sweet soup simmering in the Palace of Eternal Joy kitchen filled the air with fragrance; Wan Tang personally carried the food box, strolling slowly toward Yangxin Hall.

Upon reaching the hall's exterior, she saw Empress Xiao Mingshu kneeling on the cold stone slabs, her phoenix crown tilted, hair slightly disheveled, face pallid, biting her lower lip tightly.

Though unaware of the exact cause, combined with recent rumors, Wan Tang understood about seventy‑or‑eighty percent of the situation.

She kept walking, and when she reached the Empress's side, she slightly bent her knee, her voice gentle enough to reveal no hint of difference: "Empress, what's wrong?"

"The ground is cold; check the phoenix body carefully."

Her gaze swept over the Empress's face, which forced a humiliation, and said, "If you hurt yourself over irrelevant people or matters, isn't that like lifting a stone only to smash your own foot?"

Xiao Mingshu snapped her head up, fire nearly blazing in her eyes.

She clawed her palm hard with her fingernails, but forced the angry outburst back down, managing only two words through her teeth: "Much obliged."

Wan Tang gave a faint smile, no longer looking at her, and walked straight toward the hall doors.

Li Defu had long been waiting at the doorway, a terribly unnatural smile plastered on his face.

His gaze met hers with complexity: "Virtuous Consort has arrived; the Emperor is inside."

He stepped aside to guide the way, lowered his voice, forcing a laugh as he probed, "Madam, how has Ping'er been lately?"

Wan Tang kept walking, eyes unflinching, her voice clear and cold: "Grandfather Li is joking."

"Li's official women are the Emperor's people; whether it's honor or disgrace, the Emperor alone decides, what does it have to do with me?"

Li Defu's complexion changed abruptly, the forced smile collapsing instantly, a flash of feral snarl crossing his eyes.

His voice dropped sharply, bearing a harsh warning: "Virtuous Consort! I have only this one daughter!"

Wan Tang finally stopped, turned her head, as if she had heard something utterly ridiculous, and looked him up and down.

A corner of her lips lifted in unabashed sarcasm: "Grandfather Li, are you getting old and losing your memory?"

"You are a eunuch, where does a daughter come from?"

"Such nonsense, if it spreads, will only invite ridicule."

"You!" Li Defu trembled with anger, his face turning from red to blue, pointing at Wan Tang, but being outside Yangxin Hall he dared not raise a single word loudly.

Wan Tang covered her mouth with a light laugh, her gaze cold: "Grandfather Li, it seems you truly are old, speaking only nonsense."

"Please take a good rest, I am off to deliver soup to the Emperor."

Having said that, she no longer paid attention to the nearly fainting Li Defu, turned gracefully and stepped into Yangxin Hall, her skirt brushing the threshold, leaving no ripple.

Inside Yangxin Hall, Ouyang Qing saw Wan Tang enter, immediately bowed respectfully and withdrew, and as he left he gently closed the hall doors.

Chu Yunzheng set down his vermilion brush, and the cold, severe authority he displayed when facing his subordinates vanished instantly.

His gaze toward Wan Tang softened with a smile, and he waved her over: "Tangtang has arrived."

Wan Tang approached carrying a food box, took out the warm sweet soup, and softly said: "I have stewed some soup; the Emperor's review of the memorial was arduous, here to soothe his throat."

Chu Yunzheng took the jade bowl, his fingertip unintentionally brushed the back of her hand, his gaze settled on her serene profile.

Suddenly he asked: "On the day of the Spring Gate, it was so perilous; were you truly not afraid? You just stood in front of me without a second thought."

Wan Tang lowered her eyes, gently stirred the soup with a silver spoon, her voice soft yet firm: "At that moment I was in a hurry; I had no time to think about fear."

"I only felt that I could not let the Emperor be harmed even a hair's breadth. If I must speak of fear, it would only be fear that the Emperor's dragon body is ill."

These words were exceedingly flattering, striking directly at Chu Yunzheng's heart.

His dragon heart greatly pleased, he grasped her hand, pulled her closer, his tone indulgently affectionate as never before: "Having Tangtang is truly a great fortune for me."

Wan Tang leaned against his side, watching him drink the soup, seemingly unintentionally sighing lightly: "My modest effort is nothing."

"The true bravery that day, the timely rescue, was by Sister Hui Guifei and that General Xu."

"Had they not reacted swiftly, the consequences would have been unimaginable." She lifted her eyes, her gaze clear as she looked at the Emperor, "Sister Hui Guifei's heroic bearing is no less than in those days. General Xu is also a youthful talent, his loyalty commendable."

Chu Yunzheng nodded, evidently also deeply impressed by the two: "Your words are accurate. Hui Guifei indeed embodies the martial family style, and Xu Yanchuan also has considerable daring."

Wan Tang seized the chance: "Such meritorious officials, should the Emperor reward them?"

Chu Yunzheng, in a good mood, thought briefly and said: "For Hui Guifei's merit in protecting the carriage, promote her to Hui Guifei, grant her a pearl crown, and ten hu of Eastern Sea Pearls."

"Promote General Xu to the rank of Valiant General, appoint him as Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard, and award him one hundred taels of gold."

Though far from the grand general rank she hoped for, she knew the achievement was insufficient for an instant rise.

Receiving this reward was already a good start.

She smiled with genuine joy, saying: "Emperor is wise!"

Chu Yunzheng looked at her happy expression, chuckled, pinched her fingertips: "You are something, busy seeking rewards for others. What about you?"

"What do you want? I will grant you anything."

Wan Tang nestled on his shoulder, softly said: "I want nothing."

"As long as the Emperor remains safe and sound, that is the greatest reward for me."

Chu Yunzheng heard this, let out a low laugh, his fingertip lightly brushed her nose tip, his tone full of indulgence: "You truly are a silly Tangtang."

"Others always devise ways to demand favors from me—jewels, silk, power, position, as if they wanted to empty my private treasury."

"And you, you want nothing?"

Wan Tang lifted her face, her eyes shimmering, bearing a few touches of coquettish stubbornness.

Looking into his eyes: "I am not foolish. I am the most greedy person in this palace."

"Oh?" Chu Yunzheng raised an eyebrow, intrigued, "Then what do you want? Speak, I will grant it."

Wan Tang leaned close to his ear, her breath warm, voice soft yet clear, each word deliberate: "I don't want those cold, lifeless things. I want the Emperor's true heart."

Chu Yunzheng's eyes flickered imperceptibly, then he laughed, pinching her cheek.

As if hearing a child's naive words: "True heart?"

"Tangtang, the most worthless yet most unattainable thing in this world is this thing."

"I am the Son of Heaven, I cannot give anyone a true heart."

His tone was relaxed, yet carried a faint, barely noticeable indifference and distance, the deep‑seated vigilance of one long seated on the throne.

"However," he turned the conversation, pulling her tighter, with a kingly, almost charitable indulgence, "real gold and silver, I have plenty."

"A new batch of Eastern Pearls has just entered my storerooms, each round and lustrous, perfect to complement you."

"I will also grant you a hundred bolts of Jiangnan tribute cloud brocade, for you to tailor clothes or enjoy as you wish. How does that sound?"

A fleeting shadow of darkness flashed through Wan Tang's eyes, too swift for anyone to catch.

Immediately, a bright and satisfied smile blossomed on her face, as if the earlier request for a true heart had been merely lovers' banter.

At this moment she was genuinely elated by the tangible rewards.

She nestled into his embrace, voice sweet and soft: "I thank the Emperor for the gifts! The Emperor is the best!"

That smile was radiant, yet her eyes held a calm clarity.

No true heart?

No matter.

She had never expected that intangible thing anyway.

Real gold and silver, power and status—these concrete things in her hand are the true goals she intends to seize step by step.

Today, it is merely another test and confirmation.