Chapter 1585

Xue Daoming's gaze wandered blankly toward Li Chen Zhou, for a moment not knowing how to face everything around him.

Li Chen Zhou said respectfully, "Your Majesty, you must still look after your dragon body; mourn and move on!"

"Your Majesty, mourn and move on!" Upon hearing Li Chen Zhou's words, the officials seemed to wake from a dream, one by one kneeling before Xue Daoming. Xue Daohong is dead, Xue Shengjing has fled, and the only one now qualified to sit on the throne is Xue Daoming. Moreover, the Grand Princess has produced that last edict, which states that the throne rightfully belongs to Prince Ming, but the Grand Empress Dowager, out of love for Xue Daohong, spared no effort to deceive superiors and subordinates, forging an edict to help Xue Daohong ascend the throne. Now Xue Daoming's taking the throne is merely a return to its rightful owner.

Xue Daoming looked over the crowd kneeling before him; it was a feeling he had never experienced, a feeling of being exalted. He had once struggled and persisted for this, and now his wish was finally fulfilled, yet his heart suddenly felt an endless emptiness, not even knowing why. After a while he came to himself and said in a low voice, "All officials, rise."

Xiang Liren picked up the blood-stained edict from the pool of blood, gazing at the corpse of Xue Daohong lying on the ground, eyes unclosed, a wave of guilt rose in his heart; he lifted his head only to meet Li Chen Zhou's cold stare, startled, he dropped the edict again. Grand Princess Xue Lingjun walked over, picked up the edict, and said softly, "This edict is so important; it would be better kept in my palace."

When Xue Lingjun entered Fragrant Cloud Palace to rest, the sky was already nearing dawn. Upon entering the chamber, she dismissed all the palace maids, threw the blood-stained edict onto the table, and sat wearily on the long chair. Before she could fully calm down, she heard a knock on the door, and then Li Chen Zhou's voice: "Grand Princess, may this humble subject enter?"

Xue Lingjun bit her lip. Her heart fluttered with panic; Li Chen Zhou's performance tonight was even more terrifying than she had imagined, yet his person seemed to possess some charm that fascinated her, making her both fearful and drawn. Xue Lingjun whispered, "The door isn't locked; just come in yourself."

Li Chen Zhou pushed the door open and entered.

Xue Lingjun leaned sideways on the long chair. One side of her robe slipped from her fragrant shoulder, revealing shoulders as white as snow; a few strands of disheveled hair fell from her forehead, and her beautiful eyes half-open, half-closed, all the more enticing. She cooed, "You come to see me at this hour—aren't you afraid people will gossip?"

Li Chen Zhou walked slowly to the table, picked up the blood-stained edict, glanced at it, then held it over the candle flame and burned it.

Xue Lingjun watched as the edict gradually turned into a pile of ashes. Unable to hold back, she said, "Why is this? Are you worried someone will discover the edict is fake?"

Li Chen Zhou gave a heh heh laugh, turned and approached Xue Lingjun. Xue Lingjun looked at his handsome, cold face, and her heart involuntarily tightened with nervousness.

Li Chen Zhou said, "People are dead; who would still care about an edict?"

Xue Lingjun bit her cherry lip. Summoning courage, she said, "Are you trying to kill me to silence me?"

Li Chen Zhou gazed at Xue Lingjun's exquisite, flawless pretty face, then suddenly reached out and pinched her chin. Xue Lingjun felt pain from his grip but dared not resist; she closed her beautiful eyes and said, "Just kill me. After all, you've always wanted to kill me..." Suddenly she felt a chill on her lips—it was Li Chen Zhou's cold lips kissing hers.

Xue Lingjun startled, opened her eyes wide; Li Chen Zhou then suddenly released her, whispering, "I've changed my mind." As he tried to leave, Xue Lingjun flung herself at him without restraint, clinging tightly, her trembling body shaking as she said, "Why did you change your mind?"

Li Chen Zhou stood motionless there, his heart enduring an unprecedented torment.

Xue Lingjun's hand stroked his body, a novel electric sensation stimulating his heart; he said in a low voice, "Grand Princess, please conduct yourself with propriety."

Xue Lingjun clung to him, unwilling to let go, and whispered, "In your hearts, I have always been a woman who disregards propriety; do you despise me as dirty? Do you look down on me?"

Li Chen Zhou's breathing grew rapid; Xue Lingjun's hand suddenly slid down to between his legs, and he almost instinctively shoved her hard to the ground.

Xue Lingjun fell so hard her bones ached; she bit her cherry lip, her collar opened wider, her lovely eyes filled with confusion. She didn't understand why Li Chen Zhou would treat her so roughly, but then she immediately recalled where she had just touched him, and she widened her lovely eyes to stare at Li Chen Zhou.

Li Chen Zhou, however, was avoiding her questioning gaze; his expression was fearful and helpless, like a child caught in the act of wrongdoing.

Xue Lingjun whispered softly, "You... aren't a man?"

Li Chen Zhou's handsome face twisted with pain; he glared at Xue Lingjun, killing intent flashing in his eyes.

Xue Lingjun felt as if she had fallen into an icy wilderness, her heart overwhelmed with dread; she regretted a little, wondering why she had exposed his secret—perhaps Li Chen Zhou had not intended to kill her just now, but having discovered his shameful secret, he might spare no expense to keep it hidden.

Li Chen Zhou slowly stepped forward.

Xue Lingjun felt an invisible pressure pressing down on her; her face turned deathly pale, and she trembled as she said, "Are you going to kill me? Even if you kill me, what would that prove? You're still not a man? You're just a good-for-nothing!"

Li Chen Zhou's handsome face flushed red with anger.

Xue Lingjun said, "You needn't fear my outcry; I have always liked you, and to die by your hand would leave me no regret." Knowing death was imminent, she instead lost her fear, rose under the pressure, lifted her chest, and walked toward Li Chen Zhou.

Li Chen Zhou instead halted his steps.

Xue Lingjun gazed at him, alluring and deep-eyed, and said, "Although you won't say it, I can tell you like me, right? But you dare not say it, and you didn't even dare accept the imperial marriage proposal back then. I thought you despised my body as not pure enough, but now I realize..."

Li Chen Zhou's body trembled violently; he lunged forward and in one motion tore off Xue Lingjun's robe. Xue Lingjun's **** delicate body flung into his embrace, clinging to him like ivy, kissing his face, neck, and body without restraint, moaning from her throat an irresistible whisper: "Prove to me you can… you can… ah!"

Dawn light seeped quietly through the window lattice into Fragrant Cloud Palace; the two bodies tightly entwined lay inseparably on the spread black fur cloak. Xue Lingjun's cheeks flushed, her black hair cascaded like a waterfall over the black fur, and her fair skin appeared all the more spotless.

Li Chen Zhou extended his right arm to embrace that alluring body, as if wanting to melt her into his arms.

Xue Lingjun gazed at Li Chen Zhou's unprecedentedly peaceful and serene face, a charming smile touching her lips; she lifted her index finger to lightly touch his nose tip and whispered, "I was wrong; you are the most formidable man in this world."

Li Chen Zhou leaned in and lightly kissed her cherry lips, whispering, "Without you, there is no me!" He had never imagined he still had a chance to become a true man; it was precisely Xue Lingjun's words that shattered his self-esteem, arousing his killing intent, and unexpectedly, his long-dormant masculine vigor also awakened.

As an experienced woman, Xue Lingjun naturally understood what had happened to Li Chen Zhou's body; she felt joy at his change, yet also an indescribable panic. Li Chen Zhou rose and dressed. Xue Lingjun came behind him to help fasten his sash, behaving at that moment like a gentle and virtuous wife.

Although Li Chen Zhou did not turn around, he already knew Xue Lingjun was silently weeping, and he said softly, "Why are you crying?"

Xue Lingjun squeezed out a smile, though two lines of tears still hung on her pretty face: "I'm not crying; I'm just happy."

Li Chen Zhou turned around, extended his large hand to wipe the tears from her face, and said softly, "I will treat you well for a lifetime!"

Xue Lingjun bit her cherry lip, threw herself into Li Chen Zhou's embrace, and began to sob silently; Li Chen Zhou whispered words of comfort.

Xue Lingjun lifted her head, her tear-streaked face turned toward Li Chen Zhou, and asked, "Will you despise me?"

Li Chen Zhou smiled and shook his head: "I merely worry that I am not worthy of you! I swear, anyone who brings you harm I will make them pay double."

Wind and snow raged; a group of officials had all gathered in the Garden of Kindness and Grace. The news of Xue Daohong's murder had not yet leaked out; aside from a few, most people did not know what had happened last night in this garden.

The Duke of Jingguo, Li Mingfu, was invited to the Guangqing Tower, supposedly for an audience with the Emperor, but upon arriving at the Guangqing Tower he discovered only Li Chen Zhou was there.

Li Mingfu felt somewhat surprised: "Chen Zhou? You… what are you doing here?"

Li Chen Zhou lifted the Chazan and took a light sip, then raised his eyes and calmly gazed at Li Mingfu, saying, "The Grand Empress Dowager is dead, the Emperor is dead—haven't you heard any news?"

Li Mingfu stared, hardly able to believe his ears, he took a step forward: "Chen Zhou, you're not joking again, are you? How could I not know..."

Li Chen Zhou said calmly, "You only care about the survival of the Li clan; aside from the Li family, what else have you ever cared about?"

Li Mingfu said, "Chen Zhou, what exactly have you done? My Li family is full of loyalty and righteousness; you must never do anything that would shame our ancestors."

Li Chen Zhou slowly set down the Chazan: "Uncle, do you still remember this place?"

Li Mingfu looked around, his face showing bewilderment, and he shook his head.

Li Chen Zhou sighed: "You naturally don't remember. When I was seven, you said you'd take me to the garden to play, so I followed you here. At that time we met someone in this garden; do you still remember who he was?"

Li Mingfu's face suddenly changed, and he instinctively stepped back.

Well, actually Xue Lingjun's setting was never Hu Xiaotian's; you moralists, please keep your virtue in your mouth. (To be continued~^~)