Chapter 220: Someone Would Actually Drink This Stuff Willingly?

"Mu Yunlian! Get him in here, now!"

Xiao Yang was afraid he had also given the sterility medicine to Li Wei and Xu Xingchen, so she sent someone to summon Mu Yunlian while she went to stop it from happening.

Mu Yunlian arrived first and gave a direct answer: "I did indeed prepare multiple doses of the sterility medicine, but it is not yet time for them to drink it."

’Those two have not yet fully earned Your Majesty’s approval. As long as I keep the Emperor occupied, she certainly won’t want to favor them. They want a seat at the table? It’s far too early for that.’

Xiao Yang was about to faint from anger. "Did you buy the sterility medicine in bulk? Are you trying to castrate every man who gets near me?"

Mu Yunlian raised an eyebrow. ’He’d rather just castrate them for real.’

’A physical castration.’

Mu Yunlian showed not a single shred of remorse.

"Why shouldn’t they take the medicine, Your Majesty?"

He fearlessly wrapped his arms around her waist. "Your Majesty’s body is unwell, so everyone else’s should be too. Only then is it fair."

"You are the Emperor, the supreme sovereign. If they choose to be with you, they should be yours until death. From the moment they committed to you, they should have understood what their lives would entail. They shouldn’t fall in love with Your Majesty out of desire now, only to discover in eight or ten years that you haven’t borne them any children, and then suddenly decide they need to produce an heir and go philandering."

"If they want to be Your Majesty’s men, they must be pure in body, mind, and soul. If they cannot manage that, then it would be better if they were dead from the start."

"Your Majesty, in this world, Imperial Power is absolute, and you are the supreme ruler on Earth. You can’t think of this like some relationship where you just break up when the love is gone. Once you’ve touched them, they are branded as yours. Only you are allowed to grow tired of them; they can never be allowed to betray you. Even in death, they can only be your possessions."

His eyes were paranoid and frantic. "Including me."

"This is my vow. If I fail, I will tear out my own heart with my own hands as an offering."

Xiao Yang understood. ’This guy is having an episode!’

’And it’s a bad one.’

Mu Yunlian tried to persuade Xiao Yang with his talk of Imperial Power, but Xiao Yang held firm to her own principles.

"I don’t make demands of others because, in my eyes, their lives are not my concern. I have no desire to be responsible for anyone’s entire life."

"Forcing someone to drink that medicine, shackling their entire life to yours, and calling it loyalty? It’s unnecessary."

"I’m not saying I would accept my men messing around, but I don’t like to worry about hypothetical problems or dwell on the worst-case scenario."

"I prefer to enjoy the present. If we like each other, we can be together. As for the future, if they are still with me and find another woman... well, can’t I just have them all killed?"

"You said it yourself: I am the Emperor. How could I possibly allow anyone the chance to betray me?"

It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered it, but that he had twisted the logic.

He was so focused on protecting her, on upholding her dignity and interests, that he had unconsciously cast her in the role of the one who would be wronged and betrayed.

But she was the Emperor—an emperor with real power, prestige, and who had killed countless people.

She didn’t care about betrayal or being wronged, because she had the power and ability to decide life and death.

Xiao Yang said this with a smile, the corners of her lips upturned. Her eyes held a wild, wicked glint—imperious and chillingly indifferent.

A person with great strength and a firm heart never hesitates, never worries. She didn’t need to fear betrayal, because she had the ability to make those who betrayed her pay the ultimate price. Instead, it was they who should worry if they could bear the consequences of their betrayal.

As for fairness?

She didn’t believe in it. When two people were together, there was only conquering and being conquered. If everything had to be fair, life would be utterly dull.

So... Xiao Yang lifted Mu Yunlian’s chin and gave him a reassuring kiss. "Don’t do unnecessary things, you fool."

Xiao Yang summoned Rong Yin to the Imperial Palace and also called for Han Yang to examine him.

Han Yang, upon learning that Rong Yin had drunk the bottle of sterility medicine: "..."

’I’ll be damned. Someone actually drank this stuff willingly?’

"Your Majesty, the medicine has already been drunk; it can’t be vomited back up now. This concoction is not easy to counteract. I will do my best to alleviate its effects."

In truth, the chances were slim, a fact he tried to convey as tactfully as possible.

Xiao Yang asked, "His health..."

Xiao Yang was about to ask if there was any problem with Rong Yin’s health when she suddenly remembered that Mu Yunlian had also drunk it. She yanked him over. "Take a look at this one, too."

Han Yang examined him. "Lord Mu is in good health. There is nothing amiss."

Xiao Yang didn’t believe it. "So drinking that medicine doesn’t harm the body?"

Han Yang explained, "The medicine itself only causes sterility and has no other harmful effects on the body. However, the snake gallbladder and coptis root in it are very ’cooling.’ A few restorative soups should be enough to fix that."

Xiao Yang glared at the two men, so angry that she raised her hand and rapped each of them on the head. "So you love drinking medicine, do you? Han Yang, prescribe the most disgusting restorative tonics for me. Make them drink it every single day!"

She turned to Rong Yin in particular, fuming at his foolishness. "Drink, drink, drink! Is there something wrong with your brain? You even drink medicine from a love rival? Have you lost your mind? How did I ever fall for such a huge idiot?"

Seeing the utterly furious Emperor, Rong Yin simply smiled and pulled her into a hug. "Your Majesty, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have trusted that treacherous, scheming villain."

Mu Yunlian sneered, "I’m still here, you idiot!"

The chill that had settled in Rong Yin’s heart overnight began to warm. He lowered his head, pressing his cheek against Xiao Yang’s. "I was wrong, but I don’t regret it. Because for the rest of my life, I’m sticking to Your Majesty. Don’t even think about getting rid of me."

"I will obediently drink the restorative tonics and await Your Majesty’s summons to attend to you at any time."

Xiao Yang: "..."

’I have the distinct feeling that I’m the one in debt here.’

In light of the stupid things these two idiots had done, Xiao Yang kicked them both out and summoned Xu Xingchen to the palace to cleanse her eyes.

’At least this innocent little pervert is easy on the eyes and low-maintenance.’

----

On the twentieth day of the third month, the imperial examinations, which had been in preparation for over half a year, entered their final three-day decisive phase.

The exam papers were under heavy guard, with one guard assigned to monitor each candidate. Three examiners created the questions in rotation, and ten high-ranking court officials reviewed them together. In the end, seventy-three scholars were selected.

Thanks to the News Department, the examinations had been widely publicized, attracting a great number of talented individuals.

With more people came a greater chance of finding gold. Seventy-three was not a small number.

The final round of the imperial examinations was, naturally, the palace examination.

On the twenty-ninth day of the third month, the palace examination began.

The Emperor herself would pose the questions in person, requiring the candidates to improvise on the spot. This left no room for cheating.

Seventy-two scholars entered the Imperial Palace to take the examination in Chongwen Hall.

Xiao Yang presented the question. After paying their respects, the candidates each took their seats and began to answer in front of everyone.

Xiao Yang had already read their essays. Now, using the seating chart, she was matching their faces to their written work.

She already had a top ten in mind and was now waiting to see how they would perform. Of course, the selection of the handsome third-place scholar required even more careful consideration; she couldn’t let the title’s reputation be tarnished.

However, as Xiao Yang watched, she noticed something was wrong. Why was that young man in the third row... glowing?

’The last person who glowed like that was Su Wu. It couldn’t be another transmigrator, could it?’

She raised her hand and beckoned Liang Sha over. "Go and summon Xie Liuzheng."