I've Decided To Be This Tyrant's Dark Moonlight - Chapter 101

Late at night, the black sky pressed heavily over the palace.

Silver-inlaid white jade lanterns glimmered faintly, their dim light spilling into the dark corners of the palace walls. On top of the wall, soldiers stood in neat formation, armor gleaming, spearheads silver-bright. At the front, the guard captain paced back and forth.

His name was Zhang Jin, a man under Jiang Fangsong, commander of the Sixteen Guards. Half a month ago, he was transferred to the South Gate with one mission only—

To open it.

When the Grand Commandant of the Palace and others brought their troops tonight, all he had to do was unlock the South Gate and let them in.

His hand trembled slightly as he thought about what was about to happen. Cold sweat dampened his temples.

This was treason of the highest order. If they failed, he would be executed, his entire clan implicated. Truthfully, he had no wish to take part in such a thing. But as a piece on the chessboard, what freedom of movement did he really have?

Perhaps he could go and report to His Majesty…

The thought flashed through his mind, but he dismissed it immediately.

The Sixteen Guards had tens of thousands of men gathered for tonight. The palace, at most, had ten thousand imperial guards.

Aside from these two forces, the closest troops were at the Mulan Hunting Grounds, at least a full day’s march away. By the time they could arrive, the outcome would be decided. The throne would have already fallen to Prince Luling and the Gong family.

Horror filled him. He gazed at the palace buried in the darkness and sighed softly, unsure whether it was with regret or resignation.

They said the current emperor was tyrannical and cruel, indulgent toward a bewitching consort. Ministers whispered grievances behind closed doors.

But Zhang Jin understood things differently. He saw families that once starved now able to afford meat dishes every few days. Taxes that once suffocated the people had steadily decreased. Abandoned schools, empty for years, were suddenly overflowing with students.

Everything looked prosperous, like a sun rising over the horizon, morning glow stretching ten thousand li.

As for “tyrannical and cruel” or “overly indulgent to a [demonic consort],” that was nonsense.

A man’s wife—who was to say he could not favor her? The two were a fine match, naturally suited for each other. Why should anyone oppose it?

But such thoughts could only stay locked in Zhang Jin’s chest. He dared not speak them aloud. His commander was Jiang Fangsong, firmly in the Gong faction.

If the coup failed, and His Majesty tallied up the traitors, Zhang Jin would die anyway. Best to gamble alongside his superior.

He knew many others thought the same. Compared to lofty talk of loyalty, state, or dynasty, survival was what mattered most.

And yet, he couldn’t help thinking—perhaps he should report to His Majesty after all?

A dark mass of soldiers moved down Shengjing’s main avenue, blazing torches forming a fiery dragon.

Weapons scraped against the stone, their hiss chilling to the bone. Behind closed windows, countless commoners peered out, eyes full of confusion and fear.

Inside his manor, Gong Hongbo sat by the window, hesitating. It was midnight, the full moon high above. In the courtyard, the roses were in bloom, purple and crimson in abundance, swaying gently in the night breeze.

A glance made him think of an incomparable beauty, dressing herself beneath the moonlight.

He suddenly remembered his late wife. Her name bore the character Qiang [Rose], and she had loved roses since childhood. In his youth he had once said, “If Qiangmei marries me, I will give her all the roses under heaven.”

Later, that noble lady truly did marry into the Gong family, and loved planting flowers in their courtyard. Under the moon, the walls had once been covered with her wild roses, blooming in strange brilliance.

That had been many years ago…

Closing his eyes, he rubbed at his brow. The roses before him were vivid as ever, yet his beloved had long vanished from this world. Only he remained, hair white at the temples, aged and weary. Even if they met again, would she still know him?

With a swish, the multicolored bead curtain was swept aside. A noblewoman in palace dress stepped in briskly.

“Still dawdling, Hongbo? Jiang Fangsong is waiting outside.”

Setting down his cup with a sigh, Gong Hongbo replied slowly, “Yes… Empress Dowager.”

She narrowed her eyes at the title, clearly displeased, but said nothing. With a cold snort, she swept away.

As Gong Hongbo stepped out of the rose-filled courtyard, a slender figure blocked his path.

“Father, where are you going?” Gong Beinu ran forward, cheeks flushed, eyes wide with shock.

A few days earlier, the Empress Dowager had brought them out, saying they were bound for Yunwai Temple. But halfway there, they had secretly returned to the Gong estate. Clever as she was, Beinu had already sensed something was wrong.

Her sister Shu Consort tugged at her sleeve and glanced nervously at their father and aunt. “Beinu, go back to bed.”

But Beinu shook her off, eyes round with accusation. “Father and Aunt… are you plotting rebellion?”

The Empress Dowager nearly cursed aloud, clutched her chest, and stormed off in exasperation. At the gate she tossed back: “You’ve spoiled her rotten… I’ll wait outside. One cup of tea’s time at most.”

Gong Hongbo stood quietly before his daughter. Ever since Qiangmei’s death, he had spoiled Beinu far too much, raising her into a willful, naïve, yet innocent girl.

She stared up at him stubbornly. “Father, why would you rebel? Has His Majesty treated us so poorly?”

He pressed his lips together, then patted her head. “Father isn’t rebelling.”

Beinu tilted her head. “Eh?”

After a pause, he added, “I’m going to purge the Emperor’s court, removing treacherous ministers for His Majesty’s sake.”

Shu Consort twitched her lips. Did he really think they were children? Anyone who’d read history knew that “purging traitors” was rarely anything but rebellion.

But Beinu’s eyes lit up. “Hooray! Father is amazing!”

Shu Consort: …

She actually believed him.

A bittersweet smile crossed Gong Hongbo’s face. He rubbed her hair again and told Shu Consort, “Take good care of your sister in the days ahead.”

“I will,” she answered softly.

He sighed and turned away.

The two sisters stood hand in hand for a moment before Beinu suddenly cried out, “Sister!”

Shu Consort thought she had figured it out. “Yes?”

Beinu asked in earnest, “Does His Majesty really have treacherous ministers at his side?”

Shu Consort: …

“But I read in storybooks that we’re the traitors!”

“Where did you hear that? What book?” Shu Consort frowned.

Beinu dodged the question, her round eyes full of curiosity. “If not us, then who is? Could it be… the [bewitching consort]?”

Shu Consort didn’t know how to answer, so she simply nodded.

Beinu leapt up, anxious. “No! Dying to protect His Majesty from her! But Duan Weiying isn’t a bad she’s a good!”

Shu Consort massaged her brow, ordered maids to drag her sister back inside.

Kicking and flailing, Beinu shouted, “Sister, let’s stop Father! Duan Weiying is a but she’s a good!”

“Even you admit she’s!” Shu Consort snapped.

Tears welled in Beinu’s round eyes. “Then… good still counts as.”

Finally seated and restrained, she tugged her sister’s sleeve with watery eyes. “Sister, Father won’t kill her, will he?”

After a pause, Shu Consort answered, “He will.”

Relieved, Beinu slumped in her chair like a salted fish, a pose strangely reminiscent of someone in the Jade Dew Hall.

“Then let’s just lock her up. I read in a storybook about a Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, only one foot tall, used to imprison. Let Father bring it back. If we keep her sealed inside, she won’t be able to cause trouble. I can even let her out sometimes to perform her mimicry for us. That’s perfect! Father always finds a way.”

Raised on silks and jewels, Beinu had never known hardship. Since childhood, every whim had been fulfilled: using Eastern pearls for face masks, resting her head on jade pillows, tossing priceless treasures into lakes just to hear the splash.

She was a flower of wealth, never touched by the dust of the world.

Even a fantastical Demon-Suppressing Pagoda from a story, she could mention so matter-of-factly: “Father will get it. He always can.”

Shu Consort held her sister’s hand, smiling faintly, a touch of bitterness in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Beinu still dreamed on, imagining Weiying shrunk to thumb-size inside the pagoda. “She’ll be this tiny!” She held up her thumb. “We can make her a little bed out of rose petals. Though… if her voice shrinks too, we won’t be able to hear her mimicry anymore.”

And in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Duan Weiying sneezed—already turned into Thumbelina in someone else’s fantasy. She cuddled close to the sovereign of ten thousand, who pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Unusually, Yunshao did not flirt back but lay heavy with thoughts.

Weiying had the palace system call up surveillance feeds. The storm was about to break.

“Mission posted!” the Palace System chimed cheerfully.

“This is a major plotline shift. Rewards doubled:
Protect His Majesty during the coup and achieve the ‘Never Abandon Each Other in Life or Death’ bond!
Reward: two card draws, guaranteed rare, plus two memory-integration points. Good luck, Host!”

Knowing Weiying had already redeemed a legendary gold card, the system added smugly, “After this, your relationship with the Emperor will surely advance! Life and death together—what could be more romantic?”

Weiying smiled faintly. “Perhaps.”

“Perhaps? Why not ‘definitely’?” the system protested.

On the surveillance, the rebel army approached the gate, moments from striking. Weiying held up the golden card.

“Two Worlds, Boundless Distance: From the highest heavens to the deepest hell, vanish without trace.”
It could render an object or person invisible, unseen by all for twelve hours.

Who should she use it on?

She tapped her chin, eyes narrowing as torchlight flickered in her jewel-dark pupils.

“On His Majesty, right? Right? Then they’ll never find him!” the system urged.

As long as tonight passed, Pei Jian would return with reinforcements and crush the coup. His Majesty would be safe, and Weiying, too. Only the harem women might be in danger.

But Weiying said with a sly smile, “No. I think… I’ll use it on the gate.”

“The… gate?” the system blinked.

“Yes. The gate.”

For many, this was destined to be a sleepless night.

Zhang Jin wavered, torn between betrayal and loyalty.
Pei Jian rode through the night, praying nothing had gone wrong in the palace.
The Empress Dowager sat in her carriage, gazing at the towering walls, remembering her first entrance into the palace as a young consort to the late emperor.
Gong Hongbo hesitated, heavy with memories, following his sister’s lead…

Torches blazed like a river of stars beneath the wall. Zhang Jin glanced down. Gong Hongbo looked up. Beside him, Jiang Fangsong barked: “Open the gate, quickly!”

Zhang Jin answered, ran down the steps, turned left… only to find another solid wall. He scratched his head. Did he misremember? He ran right. Another wall.

Where was the gate?

Gong Hongbo tightened his reins, trying to remain calm, mind already racing through what North Jue might do once the dynasty changed hands. He waited. But the palace gates never opened.

Looking up, he saw Zhang Jin once again climb back onto the wall.

Jiang Fangsong went pale. “Has that fool turned traitor at the last moment?”

Zhang Jin wore a bitter smile. “Sir… can you even find where the gate is?”

“Idiot! It’s right—right…”

Support