I've Decided To Be This Tyrant's Dark Moonlight - Chapter 2

Previous years, a vassal state had offered a small mouse, a golden hamster.

Every time Yunshao fed it, the hamster would hold the sunflower seeds with its two little paws, its cheeks puffing up, and it would munch on the seeds with a paji paji sound.

So, when the monarch saw Wei Ying, she was momentarily lost in thought, reminded of that hamster.

Wei Ying was happily eating melon seeds when she suddenly heard the cheerful reminder from her Palace Scheming System: “Host! The Emperor is looking at you!”

She froze for a moment, turning her head just in time to meet the monarch’s scrutinizing gaze.

The current Emperor was a ruthless tyrant, decisive and cruel, heavily relying on the East Factory to the dismay of her civil and military officials. Wei Ying had expected an old man with a repulsive face, but what met her eyes was an extremely young and pale youth.

The Emperor was dressed in a simple light yellow informal robe, her dark hair tied up in a golden crown. Her features were delicate, and her appearance… beautiful, yes, but almost too much like a woman.

She only took one look before quickly averting her gaze, respectfully bowing her head.

It was said that the Emperor hated being called effeminate. Once, a short-sighted censor criticized her new policies and mentioned her “effeminate indecisiveness.” The Emperor didn’t care about the censor’s earlier words but held a grudge against the term “effeminate,” driving the censor to suicide.

The more frail and beautiful this tyrant looked, the more calculating and vicious her heart was.

The other showgirls, upon discovering the Emperor’s arrival, all knelt down. Even the previously arrogant Gong Beinu trembled and knelt on the ground.

Gong Beinu had long heard of Yunshao’s tyrannical acts, and recalling her own behavior moments ago, she couldn’t help but feel scared.

Even with the support of the Empress Dowager, this… this Emperor never played by the rules. If she got angry, she wouldn’t punish you immediately. Instead, she’d make your life a living hell for a long time, making you wish you had never been born.

Xiao Qianxue, however, secretly raised her head, taking in the monarch in the fading light of dusk.

Standing tall and graceful like a jade tree, with a face like a peach blossom.

These two phrases came to her mind for no reason, and her heart fluttered slightly. She was utterly mesmerized.

Yunshao’s eyes also fell on Xiao Qianxue’s face, gradually widening with a hint of infatuation.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

After a long while, the monarch emerged from the osmanthus grove, a few jade-like petals on her shoulder, and slowly walked toward the maiden.

The Palace Scheming System anxiously shouted: “Host, Host, the original plot has been triggered! What do we do? The mission is about to fail!”

Wei Ying thought to herself, even if she had stopped Gong Beinu and Xiao Qianxue from arguing, the Emperor would still have come out and fallen in love with the protagonist at first sight. Is this the influence of the original plot?

She thought about her -99 constitution, and then about those ten constitution points. With a sigh, she told the Palace Scheming System: “Use the ‘Love at First Sight’ card.”

Palace Scheming System: “Okay! I’ll use it for you right away!”

This way, the Emperor would fall in love with the Host at first sight. Even if it only lasted for three seconds, but—

Wei Ying interrupted it: “Who said I want to use it on me?”

The Palace Scheming System was stunned: “Ah? Then, who… who should I use it on?”

It suddenly had a bad feeling.

Wei Ying’s lips curled up. The dog Emperor likes Xiao Qianxue’s face because it resembles her beloved, right? How about—

A semi-transparent card flew out of her hand. One merged into the infatuated monarch, and the other into the little white horse behind Xiao Qianxue.

Card used: Love at First Sight

Card description: A monarch’s love at first sight, and the concubine’s heart is moved. The targeted subject will experience a “love at first sight” effect, lasting for 3 seconds.

The Palace Scheming System was dumbfounded: “Host, are you serious?”

Wei Ying smiled, her eyes crinkling. “Isn’t this fun?”

Let this person and this horse have a legendary love story.

Xiao Qianxue looked up at the Emperor walking toward her.

Even though her parents had warned her that the monarch was heartless, upon seeing such a beautiful face, she still felt a sense of longing and a surge of hope for a “lifelong companion.” She watched the Emperor walk closer, step by step, as if guided by fate. A flutter of excitement rose in her heart. “Your Maj…”

The Emperor mercilessly stepped past her, stopping in front of her little white horse.

The little white horse pricked up its hooves and let out a heartfelt neigh: “Heehaw!”

Xiao Qianxue was stunned.

Not just Xiao Qianxue, everyone present was dumbfounded. The supposedly merciless monarch was looking at a white horse with eyes full of deep affection, her dark pupils soft and reflecting the shimmering light of the setting sun.

Eunuch: “Your Majesty?”

Wei Ying frowned. She couldn’t allow the spectators to disturb this legendary love story.

So, she took out the “Radiant” card.

The Palace Scheming System’s voice trembled: “H-Host, what do you, what do you want to do now?”

Wei Ying: “I want the spectators to also be satisfied with the script I’ve written.”

The Radiant card flew onto the little white horse. In an instant, everyone’s expressions changed from surprise to awe.

“What a beautiful horse!”

“I’ve never seen such a radiant horse in my life!”

“Oh my gosh, look at its coat! So white, so shiny. This must be a horse worthy of His Majesty!”

The eunuch quietly retracted his foot, thinking to himself, Yes, this must be a horse worthy of His Majesty!

Xiao Qianxue couldn’t help but stand up, shoving the reins into the Emperor’s hand: “I offer my Little Pear Blossom to Your Majesty. May you find your happily ever after!”

Yunshao: …

What just happened?

Wei Ying lowered her head, her shoulders trembling as she tried to suppress her laughter.

System: “…You’re really good at this.”

Wei Ying: You’re too kind.

Finally, Yunshao rode Little Pear Blossom away from Yujing Pavilion, still in a daze.

Who am I? Where am I? What happened?

Why did a strange, soft emotion well up in her heart when she saw the little white horse? It was as if, for a brief moment, her eyes and heart were only on this horse. Could she be a horse lover and not have known it?

Little Pear Blossom: “Heehaw!”

The sound of hooves clattered on the bluestone path. The monarch, riding the white horse, lowered her head slightly. The soft face was gilded with the faint gold of the sunset.

That night, a small flame flickered in the Imperial bedchamber.

Yunshao sat under the lamp, dressed in her dragon robe, holding a brush to approve memorials. After reading for a while, she stared at the flickering flame and remembered the stunning face from her brief glance earlier in the day. That showgirl’s appearance was so similar to… she clearly wanted to bring Xiao Qianxue back with her, so why did she end up with her horse instead?

She covered her mouth and let out a light cough, then wearily rubbed her temples.

The eunuch Fushou, mustering his courage, advised: “Your Majesty, please rest early. Your health is important.”

Yunshao shook her head, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. A small smile appeared on her face. In the flickering lamplight, her smile was exceptionally beautiful, completely devoid of the majesty of an Emperor. “Are sunflower seeds that delicious?”

Fushou was a little confused: “Is Your Majesty hungry? I’ll have someone bring you something.”

“No need.” Yunshao picked up her vermilion brush, but the image of Wei Ying cracking sunflower seeds suddenly flashed in her mind, and she felt like laughing.

She looked at the memorial for a moment, then suddenly stood up. “Where is the horse I brought back today?”

Fushou: “As you commanded, it’s being kept in the imperial gardens.”

Yunshao walked toward the door: “Saddle up a horse, I’m going out.”

Fushou quickly helped her put on her cloak and hurried to follow. Yunshao nimbly leaped onto the horse and looked down at him: “Don’t follow me. I’ll go for a walk alone.” With a flick of her whip, her figure disappeared into the night.

Fushou looked up at the starless, moonless sky, pacing anxiously outside the bedchamber.

Whether it was taking a showgirl’s item or riding a horse out late at night… His Majesty had never done such a thing. Could she really have fallen for that horse?

He clenched his sleeves, then thought: But that white horse was indeed very beautiful, so radiant!

Wei Ying covered her mouth, a soft cough escaping from behind her handkerchief.

Even after gaining ten constitution points during the day, it was virtually useless for this fragile body.

She had only gone from -99 to -89. Still a negative number.

A long and arduous road ahead, Wei Ying thought as she lay in bed, her throat aching and blood rushing up.

Xiao Qianxue, half-asleep, heard the sound and asked: “Yingying, what’s wrong?”

Wei Ying: “It’s nothing.”

After saying that, she heard a showgirl next to her make a disgruntled noise.

Tomorrow was the selection, a momentous occasion for the showgirls. Even though she tried her best to suppress her coughs, she was still disturbing others.

Wei Ying got up, put on a thick cloak, and quietly left the dormitory.

Once she was out, she could no longer hold back her coughs. She covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling with each cough. A stark red stain appeared on the pristine white handkerchief.

A small eunuch walked by in the distance. When he saw her, his face turned deathly pale. He screamed “Ghost!” and dropped his lantern, running away.

Wei Ying was stunned for a moment, then remembered that her disheveled hair and pale face probably made her look like a female ghost. She couldn’t go back, nor did she want to scare the poor eunuch again, so she picked up the lantern and took a deserted path.

The night wind was biting, like a knife, making her feel cold all over.

Wei Ying, shivering, held the lantern. When she saw a quiet, abandoned courtyard, she walked straight in to avoid freezing to death on this cold night. It seemed uninhabited. She had no intention of going inside, so she stood under the eaves in the dark, took out a handful of melon seeds, and began to crack them with trembling hands.

Palace Scheming System: “…The Host’s dedication to eating melon seeds is truly admirable.”

A broken cough escaped Wei Ying’s throat. She coughed while happily cracking seeds, chatting with the system: “Why is there a place like this in the palace? It looks uninhabited. Did I end up in the cold palace?”

Palace Scheming System: “Host, didn’t you see the two characters on the plaque?”

Wei Ying: “No, I didn’t. What can my eyes see at night?” She laughed self-deprecatingly: “I’m like a blind person.”

It was probably because of her negative constitution. Once night fell, she couldn’t see anything, only faint outlines. Besides, with the biting wind making her cough and her chest ache, how could she possibly make out the words on the courtyard’s plaque?

“Tell me, what is this place called?”

The Palace Scheming System suddenly fell silent, quiet as a mouse.

Wei Ying called out to it a few times in her mind, but got no response. Just as she was wondering why, she suddenly heard a pleasant female voice say: “Are sunflower seeds really that delicious?”

Wei Ying subconsciously held out her hand: “They’re delicious. Want to come and eat some with me?”

Yunshao: …

How dare this woman invite her to eat sunflower seeds? Is she tired of living?

Then she thought, Why is this showgirl here? Is she tired of living?

Wei Ying, with her half-blind eyes, only saw a dark blob in front of her. “You don’t want any? If not, I’ll eat them.”

A hand took the sunflower seeds from her.

Yunshao thought, before she executes her, she’ll taste what these seeds are like.

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