Chapter 274: Volume 1 Chapter 274 Empress x Courtesan (4)

The boy seemed to have grasped a lifeline, reverse-gripping her hand, tightening his grip, crystal tears welling at the porcelain-white corners of his eyes, he let out a painful 'uh' and took short, ragged breaths.

How could Jiang Zhi let this chance slip? Taking advantage of the villain's fuzzy consciousness, she acted as a gentle, understanding older sister, and incidentally took advantage of him.

Wen Ci, in his unconscious state, pressed his wrist against hers; the pain eased slightly and his body gradually calmed.

A palace servant came in holding a bowl, which Jiang Zhi took, saying, "You all may withdraw."

Only the two of them remained in the bedchamber.

Jiang Zhi ladled the medicinal soup from the bowl and brought it to his lips; the handsome boy tasted the bitterness, reflexively spat it out, lifting his slender, fragile neck as if to evade.

"Wen Ci, obey." She scooped another spoonful, but he spat it out just the same.

This won't do.

Jiang Zhi pressed a clenched fist to her lips, cleared her throat solemnly, and the light in her eyes could not be contained.

She said reluctantly:

"Since he refuses to drink it himself, I have no choice but to help him."

777 clearly saw her delight, practically wishing to execute the young villain on the spot, and then tried to cover it up with an explanation.

"If you want to kiss, just kiss." It pretended not to notice her intention, adding, "Anyway, the villain won't know."

Tomorrow, when he wakes, he won't know that tonight the Host took liberties with him.

Jiang Zhi let out a light sigh: "Brother Seven, how can you say that about me? Do I look like that kind of person? I'm only doing this to save him."

777 feigned ignorance.

Jiang Zhi stopped arguing with 777, slipped one arm around his shoulders, gulped down the medicinal soup, then slowly leaned in and kissed his soft, sweet lips.

Pouring the bitter medicinal broth in, the unconscious Wen Ci did not spit it out this time, but swallowed it little by little.

Jiang Zhi couldn't help but slip her tongue into his warm mouth, feeling his hot, red tongue, and she kissed him, her face flushed and heart pounding.

Her own breath grew unsteady; she braced her hands on the edge of the bed and let out a few low gasps.

The boy lay back on the bed, his eyes opening just a slit, his vision hazy; a vague silhouette flickered in his sight before he could make out the person's face, and he closed his eyes, slipping back into unconsciousness.

That day Jiang Zhi never left the boy's side; the last shaft of light filtered through the lattice window faded, giving way to thick night, the moonlight spreading over the entire imperial city like a sheer veil.

She yawned, stretched her sore waist, and poured herself a cup of water to drink.

Caring for a sick person is no easy feat, especially in a technologically backward age with no medical equipment, not even fever reducers; drinking herbal decoctions, the fever subsides at a glacial pace.

After feeling no heat on his body, she rose and left.

She went to the Warm Spring Palace to bathe, then returned to the Hall of Nurturing the Heart to sleep.

Meanwhile, Wen Ci, not long after she departed, slowly opened his eyes; his clear black-and-white gaze stared ahead, the faint candlelight dispelling the room's darkness, a strong medicinal scent reached his nostrils, his fever had broken, his limbs felt limp and weak, and his head was still hazy.

He threw off the covers, draped himself in a thick cloak, left the bed, pushed open the window, and the night breeze blew in waves across his face as his consciousness gradually cleared.

He recalled the dream he had while unconscious: a gentle fairy sister fed him medicine, stayed by his side, all pain and discomfort vanished, leaving only warmth.

That dream was hazy yet felt real.

Wen Ci lifted his hand to rub the tuft of hair that had sprung up at his forehead, his expression dazed for a moment, then he suddenly curled his lips.

He hoped the fairy sister would enter his dream again.

—

After court, Jiang Zhi returned to the sleeping palace intending to catch more sleep, but halfway she ran into the highest-ranking consort of the inner palace, Consort Lian.

Her birth mother held the rank of senior second-rank Duke of State, overseeing the highest military affairs, second only to the left and right chancellors; she died in battle saving the original host, and the title passed to her legitimate daughter.

Thus the original host always treated Consort Lian with mutual respect, enjoying the authority that came with the mistress position of the harem.

Consort Lian came from a general's household, but his demeanor took after his father: gentle features, handsome appearance, walking with steady steps, resembling a delicate, frail scholar.

He was quite young, over twenty-two, with a faint smile at the corners of his mouth, giving off an obedient, compliant vibe.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." The man's voice was soft, neither humble nor arrogant, as he performed a salute.

Jiang Zhi's phoenix eyes drooped slightly.

She was well aware.

This Consort Lian, appointed head of the four consorts, is Xu Rui, the male lead of this world—deep-minded, skilled in martial arts, adept at disguise; he never caused trouble in the harem, but after meeting the female lead he allied with his kin to rebel, faking his death to escape the palace and seizing a city with her.

Thereafter he gradually weakened Jiang's military strength, aiming to seize the entire Jiang nation.

But they never expected the villain to suddenly appear, with vast underground forces, completely overturning the dynasty and even wiping out their rebellion in one fell swoop.

Jiang Zhi had no desire to provoke him; she planned to wait until she cleared the villain's corruption value, then let the male and female leads rebel, abdicate to finish her mission and depart—everyone would be satisfied.

But Xu Rui is a consort in her harem; no matter how she hides, she must eventually meet him.

"Get up." Jiang Zhi rubbed the corner of her eyes, feeling especially weary.

Xu Rui rose, his tone businesslike and formal: "Your Majesty, the day after tomorrow is your birthday; I came to ask whether you need me to handle the arrangements."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhi recalled a crucial plot point involving the villain.

At this original host's birthday, Xu Rui left early, encountered the female lead, and while they were being ambiguous, the villain Wen Ci bumped into them.

The female lead is a time-traveling agent, decisive and ruthless; she thought Wen Ci was merely a palace servant and intended to kill him to silence any loose ends.

Wen Ci fled desperately, bursting into the original host's menagerie; at the brink of death, his second personality awoke, and he fought his way out, barely preserving his life.

This also left him exceptionally fearful of beasts thereafter.

Jiang Zhi felt a bit of a headache.

Having a meadow atop her head was bad enough, but the male lead's furtive affair—he didn't even pick a discreet spot, only to be caught by the villain.

In her eyes, the villain is now a dear darling who may cuckold her but must not lay a hand on her treasure!

"You decide." She gave him a cool, indifferent glance, lifted her leg, and stepped straight past him as she left.

Xu Rui clearly sensed that the empress's mood was off today, seemingly because of him.

"Why?" he wondered, unable to fathom what he had done wrong to upset her.

Xu Rui didn't care about the female emperor Jiang Zhi; he already had someone else in his heart, and even if she despised herself, to him it was also a good thing.

…

Jiang Zhi lay limp on the bed, exhausted, and opened the villain data table.

After staying in this world for so long, the corruption value had only dropped by 3 points, leaving 97 points.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, a report came from outside the hall.

"Your Majesty, Left Chancellor Sir requests an audience."