Chapter 86

After finishing her affairs of state in Qianqing Palace, it was already nearing dusk.

Yun Yaoyao rubbed her aching wrist, her heart filled with longing for Tu Shanjin.

Setting her personal feelings aside, handling state affairs was simply too damn exhausting and tedious!

If this went on, her beautiful body—and even her soul—would be destroyed by paperwork.

(ʘ̥∧ʘ̥)

As she thought this, her feet had already carried her to Yun Ning Palace.

Before she even stepped through the palace doors, she could hear Niu Xiu’er’s thunderous, cow-like wailing from far away.

Xiao Wuzi immediately produced two clean cotton balls and considerately stuffed them into Yun Yaoyao’s ears. “Niu Xiu’er’s voice is loud enough to shake the heavens. We absolutely cannot let it disturb Your Majesty’s esteemed dragon ears.”

“Ah, but Concubine Sha still hasn’t woken up. It’s only natural that she would be so heartbroken.”

As soon as those words fell, the two of them fell silent. A trace of sorrow seemed to settle over the air.

Yun Yaoyao quickened her steps.

She pushed open the door and saw the figure lying quietly on the bed. Only then did a sliver of relief finally enter her heart, though the sight inevitably made her ache.

She sat down, taking his hand in one of hers while gently brushing away the strand of hair resting on the tip of his nose with the other.

“He’s ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‍lost weight. His face is pale, too.”

Yun Yaoyao accepted a bowl of warm water, dipped a cotton swab into it, and carefully moistened his lips to replenish his fluids.

“How is he today?”

Niu Xiu’er replied pitifully from the side, “Your Majesty, he’s still the same as before.”

“But…”

Before she could finish, Yun Yaoyao sighed and continued speaking to herself. “That’s right. Imperial Physician Shan said that whether you wake up or not is up to fate. You were injured so badly—how could you possibly recover in just three days…”

“Niu Xiu’er, you may leave. I want to be alone with him for a while.”

Niu Xiu’er could only swallow the discovery she had made and leave the room.

Looking at the figure lying motionless on the bed, Yun Yaoyao’s desire to kill Tushan Ze reached its peak.

“Don’t worry. There are only three days left. In three days, Tushan Ze will die by my hand!”

After taking care of him for a while and keeping him company a little longer, Yun Yaoyao left the room.

Seeing the shattered look on Her Majesty’s retreating back, Niu Xiu’er gritted her teeth and hurried after her.

“Your Majesty, I made a discovery this morning. Although Concubine Sha hasn’t woken up, she reacts to certain things people say!”

“Hmm?”

Niu Xiu’er recounted what had happened that morning, conveniently and guiltily leaving out how she had spread the rumor that Her Majesty had slept with women, then men, then everyone all at once, in every possible combination.

After listening, the gloom vanished from Yun Yaoyao’s face, replaced by a gleam in her eyes.

A reaction meant that the possibility of him waking up had increased dramatically!

Why hadn’t she said so earlier? Yun Yaoyao had just wasted all those tears. She had nearly thought Tu Shanjin might never wake up!

Yun Yaoyao turned around and strode back into the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Unlike the tender warmth she had shown earlier, she now wore a smug, wicked grin.

“Oh, right, Tu Shanjin. There’s one more thing I forgot to share with you.”

Yun Yaoyao leaned close to his ear. “The feeling of sleeping with a woman is truly wonderful~”

“That sleeping beast of yours is really something. The moment it woke up, it was ferocious.”

“The night I favored Consort Ling, I did it eighteen times in one night. By the end, she was begging me for mercy in a sweet little voice!”

Yun Yaoyao stared intently at Tu Shanjin’s hand. Sure enough, the moment those words left her mouth, his fingers twitched faintly.

This trick really worked!

Yun Yaoyao pressed on. “It really is true that you have to experience the pleasures of the flesh before you can understand what you’ve been missing. After that, I took another hundred and eighty beauties into the palace. Tsk, tsk, the things we got up to were endless—behind rockeries, in hot springs, inside the Hall of Supreme Governance at night… There was simply no keeping up!”

“I even had a painter record it all on the spot. Naturally, scenes showcasing my virility ought to be shared with my ministers and people so they can admire them together!”

The movement of his fingertip grew noticeably stronger.

Yun Yaoyao continued adding fuel to the fire, her expression becoming more lascivious by the second.

“Perhaps you should just stay asleep. Handling state affairs is a little exhausting these days, but having beauties by my side makes it all worthwhile. What an immortal life~”

“Oh, I suddenly remembered Administrator Li’s son. He has quite a pretty face. Those naturally pale-pink lips of his… I’d love to ravish him until he fainted. I’ll have to think of an excuse to summon him into the palace.”

“His flushed little face has popped into my mind again. I can’t take it anymore. I’ll send someone to bring him secretly into the palace right now!”

At that, Tu Shanjin’s entire arm began to tremble. Eventually, he even managed to raise it slightly with considerable effort.

It was as though his active consciousness was desperately battling his sleeping body.

Yun Yaoyao stared at that arm in excitement.

Oh my, this was practically a foolproof way to lure Tu Shanjin out of his coma!

Why hadn’t she discovered it sooner?

After moving for a while, however, his arm went limp again and returned to stillness. No matter how much Yun Yaoyao provoked him afterward, he gave no further response.

It didn’t matter. At least there were positive signs.

From then on, Yun Yaoyao decided that after every meal, she would stop by Yun Ning Palace and make another attempt, changing her methods each time to provoke him into recovering.

With that thought, the gloom that had weighed on her heart for the past few days vanished completely, and even her face brightened with a smile.

After leaving Yun Ning Palace, Yun Yaoyao went to Du Luoling’s residence. The two of them put on a show of affection for appearances’ sake, after which she made her way to Xiwan Palace.

Only three days remained until the fifteenth-day deadline she and the hostage prince had agreed upon. By now, Yun Yaoyao had become thoroughly adept at dealing with this mentally unstable, lovesick hostage prince.

Every meeting began with the same three-part routine: gifts, delicious food, and warm, caring greetings. That was how she had coaxed the sickly, obsessive prince into opening his heart to her.

Yun Yaoyao was feeling rather pleased with herself when she suddenly heard him say coolly, “Is Your Majesty happy because you’ll be sending me away in three days?”

“Nonsense!” Yun Yaoyao drew back the corners of her mouth and scolded him with a stern expression. “A father’s love is like a thread in a mother’s hand, sewing clothes for her wayward son. Stitch after stitch, she fears he’ll be slow to return!”

“Though this father’s heart aches at the thought of parting with you, I cannot stand in the way of your future. The sky is vast, and birds may fly wherever they please. With my son’s abilities, you’ll surely achieve great things among the Xiongnu! Ha ha ha!”

“Come, let’s continue discussing how you can turn the Xiongnu upside down and make their lives thoroughly miserable…”

Huyan Mu: “…”

“Father, you really are hypocritical.”

Yun Yaoyao: “Likewise. You’re no better than I am. Otherwise, how could we call ourselves father and son?”

Before long, the two of them were seated in a pavilion, discussing how to deal with the Xiongnu. It was a heartwarming scene of “a benevolent father and filial son.”

Yun Yaoyao proposed one underhanded scheme after another, while Huyan Mu showed little enthusiasm and responded only half-heartedly.

Once Yun Yaoyao had talked until her throat was dry, she prepared to leave.

Just as she was about to reach the palace doors, a voice came from behind her. Yun Yaoyao turned to look.

“In three days, this will be our final meeting.” Huyan Mu leaned against the edge of the pavilion. His face was exceptionally fair, and his dark eyes were deep and empty. He curved his lips into a smile. “At that time, I will have a question waiting for Your Majesty to answer.”

Before Yun Yaoyao could ask what it was, Huyan Mu had already left the pavilion and returned to his room.

Yaoyao was puzzled.

What could this wayward son possibly want to ask? Surely he wasn’t going to ask whether she was truly his father from a previous life?

Yaoyao had no idea, so she turned and left.

For now, the most important matter was still straightening out that pair of stubborn, love-addled siblings!