I've Decided To Be This Tyrant's Dark Moonlight - Chapter 48

The atmosphere instantly grew tense. The ministers and consorts looked toward the emperor with bated breath, expecting his royal wrath.

Everyone knew that this ruler hated being mistaken for a woman or being told he looked effeminate. Yet, the envoy not only made such a mistake but went further—he practically staged a “coup,” calling Consort Ying the emperor.

Surely he would be beheaded.

Pei Jian, folding his hands, even began calculating how to continue waging war after executing the envoy.

The ministers cautiously looked at the emperor, only to find that this moody, unpredictable young ruler did not appear angry at all. Instead, he smiled faintly, his delicate brows curving warmly, exuding a surprisingly approachable air.

Ministers: !!!

This must be a hidden dagger behind the smile!

A deathly silence fell. Even Peng Liguo sensed something was off. Could it be that the emperor had made a mistake? He cautiously lifted his head and looked again.

Except for the ministers and palace attendants, there were only two people in the garden.

Peng Liguo looked at the beauty surrounded by consorts and thought, “This is the real emperor.” Then he glanced at the lone figure sitting at the eastern seat and silently thought, “This must be the fake emperor.”

Of course, the real emperor is the one surrounded by consorts, ruling over all under heaven while enjoying beauties at his side.

The contrast between the real emperor and the fake emperor was too obvious; there was no way he could have been mistaken!

Yun Shao lifted his eyes and smiled at the stunned Wei Ying, asking the envoy, “So, who do you think I am?”

Peng Liguo tried to answer, “The emperor’s most beloved consort?”

Beautiful and dressed so perfectly with the emperor, she must surely be the most favored consort.

The ministers gasped in horror; two or three nearly fainted, sweating for the envoy from Bei Yue.

Envoy, in danger!

Yun Shao chuckled softly, walked over, and took Wei Ying’s hand, pulling her onto the couch, then leaned on her and said with a smile, “Beloved, he said I am your consort. What do you think of that?”

Peng Liguo thought: The emperor and the consort are indeed extremely close… Wait, this person just called herself “I” in the imperial sense?

He froze, stiffly lifting his head, feeling completely lost. Who was the emperor, and who was the consort?

Gong Hongbo said in a low voice, “Envoy, you are mistaken. This is our emperor.”

Although isolated and pitiful, this was still their sovereign, the ruler of a vast empire.

Peng Liguo’s body stiffened as he stared blankly, unable to comprehend. Honestly, it was his first time seeing an emperor so isolated by consorts. The customs of Da Sheng were baffling.

Yun Shao tilted her head to the person beside her: “Beloved, how do you want to deal with this envoy?”

Wei Ying’s skin crawled. She didn’t look at the envoy and thought, Eyes blind, just execute him.

Peng Liguo: !!!

Q^q Da Sheng’s women really are terrifying!

Gong Hongbo interjected, “Even during wartime, envoys are not to be executed. This is a crucial time for peace negotiations; I beg Your Majesty to reconsider.”

Yun Shao’s eyes focused only on Wei Ying, softly saying, “Didn’t you hear her? Just execute him.”

Wei Ying frowned, thinking, She actually means it?

The ministers urgently voiced their opposition, kneeling and begging the emperor to reconsider. Peng Liguo, about to be executed, kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead dripping with sweat: “Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! I have failed to see clearly and deserve death!”

Wei Ying, seeing the chaos, frowned slightly. “Your Majesty, I was just speaking casually. Surely you wouldn’t punish the Bei Yue envoy for such a trivial matter?”

If Peng Liguo were truly executed, her mission would fail!

But—

On the fourth day of the third month in the seventh year of Feng Qi, the Bei Yue envoy mistook her for the “dog emperor.” This grudge, she would note for later!

Yun Shao leaned close to her. “Since my beloved begs for his life, let it be. Rise, everyone. The floor is cold.”

Wei Ying thought: The emperor is so sly. Deliberately giving the Bei Yue envoy a scare and using her name—now in the ministers’ eyes, she must be a genuine enchanting consort.

Peng Liguo stood up, still weak in the legs. Pei Jian silently helped him.

He whispered a “thank you,” thinking this person was quite decent—a truly good Da Sheng man.

Yun Shao lifted her chin, signaling Pei Jian to gradually unroll the map. “Since you’re here, let’s discuss the matter. Bei Yue wants to define borders. How do you propose?”

Peng Liguo met the emperor’s gaze, shivering, and handed over a map. “This is the boundary our king has drawn. Please review, Your Majesty.”

The ministers murmured. They had expected joint discussions, yet Bei Yue had drawn the borders themselves, asking only for approval. What were these blond foreigners thinking?

Fu Shou took the map, bowed, and unfolded it before the emperor.

Wei Ying peeked curiously: “Wow.”

Earlier, she had heard Gong Hongbo and the emperor say that the default border according to Bei Yue was Lake Zhum. Both nations would each take one side. But the map now had Bei Yue claiming the area including Lake Zhum, stretching right to Yunzhou City—a shrewd calculation.

Yun Shao tilted his head and looked at her.

Wei Ying blinked innocently.

Yun Shao couldn’t help smiling, letting Fu Shou hand the map to the ministers.

The ministers huddled, seeing the map. Their faces darkened—they had expected a fair negotiation. Instead, Bei Yue drew the borders to include a large swath of fertile land, taking hundreds of miles from Da Sheng. They felt insulted.

Pei Jian, still smiling coldly, observed silently.

Peng Liguo nervously wiped sweat from his temple. But this was expected. After all, Bei Yue hadn’t intended peace—if Da Sheng conceded peacefully, fine; if not, more battles would follow.

Gong Hongbo squinted, about to speak, when a soft laugh came from the eastern seat.

He turned to see the beauty leaning in the emperor’s embrace, like a mischievous consort. She not only laughed but praised the Bei Yue envoy: “This map is accurate.”

Gong Hongbo clenched his fist in his sleeve, thinking, This treacherous consort will ruin the country! Surely, the envoy bribed her to sway the emperor.

Yet the current emperor was no fool.

Yun Shao said, “My beloved is correct.”

Gong Hongbo froze, heartbroken. Beauty truly corrupts!

Peng Liguo looked up, incredulous. Could it really be this simple? Did Da Sheng bow so easily to Bei Yue’s demands?

Wei Ying covered her lips, smiling. “They’re willing to give us Lake Zhum? How generous of Bei Yue!”

Peng Liguo’s eyes widened—Lake Zhum was actually being given to Bei Yue. Did the consort really misunderstand?

The emperor corrected her: “Beloved, you’ve misunderstood.”

Wei Ying nodded innocently.

The emperor gestured to Pei Jian to unfold the prepared map and took a vermilion brush, drawing a line while softly saying, “Bei Yue clearly intends to give Lake Zhum and the surrounding land to us.”

Wei Ying chuckled: “Oh, I see. I wasn’t careful. But it seems Your Majesty also misspoke.”

She took the brush and circled another large area: “Bei Yue also clearly said this land is ours.”

Peng Liguo almost fainted. “No, the map clearly says—”

Yun Shao laughed, holding Wei Ying’s hand. “Beloved, you’ve made the envoy anxious. He said,” she guided Wei Ying’s hand to draw on the map, finally including a red dot, “that this land is to be given to us as well.”

Wei Ying pointed at the red dot: “What is this?”

Pei Jian replied: “The Bei Yue capital, Qieli.”

Wei Ying tilted her head, eyes wide, innocent: “Wow, they even want to give us their capital. How embarrassing!”

The ministers, watching the consort and emperor work in concert, felt as if they had witnessed an entire play in a garden without a stage. Their emotions swayed like riding on a bumpy mountain road. Eventually, they admitted, We’ve learned, we’ve learned.

Peng Liguo was even more anxious than the ministers. In just a short tea-time, he had endured too much. He mustered courage to speak, only to be cut off by the emperor.

Yun Shao leaned on her hand, asking Pei Jian: “Gongwang, what do you think?”

Pei Jian thought for a moment, answering: “Bei Yue is harsh, the land poor, the people suffer, while our Da Sheng has fertile land and abundant food—a true land of plenty…”

His meaning was clear: Lake Zhum and surrounding grasslands are valuable, but the rest of the land is not worth taking. Defending the border would be strategically advantageous.

The ministers nodded approvingly: Accurate, accurate. Learned something new.

Peng Liguo, hearing that Bei Yue’s gift was refused, grew furious. “Your Majesty, you’re mistaken!”

Yun Shao lifted her eyes, looking at him, then Wei Ying. “Am I mistaken?”

Wei Ying: “No, not at all.”

Yun Shao asked the ministers: “Am I mistaken?”

The ministers, thoroughly impressed, replied: “No, not at all.”

Peng Liguo’s vision darkened. This entire court seemed to be calling black white; these ministers were nothing but rogues!

Da Sheng people were truly shameless, bullying an honest Bei Yue envoy with no regard for decency.

Yun Shao waved graciously: “Inform the envoy to return and report to the Bei Yue king. No need for formalities. We won’t take the Bei Yue capital, just the land south of Jianglian Mountain.”

Peng Liguo broke out in cold sweat. That land was the most fertile in Bei Yue; he couldn’t hand it over.

But facing so many rogues, he could only endure. “Your Majesty, border definition is serious and not to be taken lightly. Discussion in court is necessary, and our king must consent.”

Yun Shao had Pei Jian redraw the agreed boundaries and handed the map to Peng Liguo to take back.

After business was concluded, a banquet was held for the envoy.

The emperor drank a few symbolic cups of wine, then left with his consort, leaving ministers to entertain the guest.

Peng Liguo, drunk, couldn’t help clutching a wine jar and crying.

A proud man of nine feet, never having suffered such humiliation.

Someone approached with a toast.

Peng Liguo, seeing a young man with a warm smile, raised his cup. He had assumed this young man was kindhearted, only to realize the same mischievousness ran in his heart. Da Sheng people were all the same!

Pei Jian finished the toast with a smile and left.

Peng Liguo suddenly called after him: “May I ask, sir, who are you?”

Pei Jian replied: “Surname Pei, courtesy name Gongwang, Minister of War.”

Peng Liguo nodded. “Ah, Minister Pei.”

Another scholar-official, who could neither carry nor fight—how could they compare with physically strong Bei Yue people!

He remembered something and asked: “Back in Bei Yue, I heard of General Pei of Da Sheng—towering, formidable, terrifying, cruel… is it true?”

Pei Jian paused, then smiled: “It is true.”

Peng Liguo patted his chest, terrified, and continued: “I also heard General Pei has a sister, very ugly, full of pockmarks, stronger than a man…”

Pei Jian’s smile vanished. He poured a cup of wine directly onto Peng Liguo’s face. “Let’s sober you up, envoy.”

After leaving the banquet, the emperor, feigning drunkenness, leaned entirely on Wei Ying. Her shoulder pressed warmly against him, his breath soft and enveloping.

Wei Ying’s neck tingled from contact, but the emperor held lightly, not pressing down.

Passing the pond, Yun Shao paused, intending to take her hand, but instead grasped her sleeve, whispering, “Do you remember the story of the bird and the fish I told you here?”

Wei Ying: “Ah, that useless bird.”

Yun Shao: …

After a moment, she continued softly, “It wasn’t useless. I know it was good.”

Wei Ying pursed her lips, staring at the pond. A waterfowl floated on the surface, ripples spreading. Nearby, soft green willows swayed in spring breeze, painting a perfect scene.

Yun Shao leaned closer, her breath fragrant: “The bird returned, flying back to the fish.”

Wei Ying: “…Maybe it couldn’t find food outside, so it sought the fish’s attention. Food is scarce.”

Yun Shao paused, then smiled softly: “Then let it eat the fish. It’s impatient.”

Wei Ying: !!!

Terrifying words!

Yun Shao whispered: “Devour it.”

Wei Ying froze, then looked up at the sky.

Yun Shao: “What are you looking at?”

Wei Ying: “Watching the bird, to deliver Your Majesty’s message.”

Yun Shao’s face paled. She stood under the tree shadows, murmuring: “Once, outside Shengjing, there was a jade-like lake in spring. I fell in while boating with Sir, and he saved me, catching a cold in the process…”

Wei Ying, experienced in game-like missions, realized this must be part of a quest.

As a seasoned “white moonlight,” she had performed countless rescues and death-escapes in other worlds. Falling into water to save someone was trivial.

Yun Shao leaned closer, hot against her spring clothes.

“Back then, I was terrified. I went to buy medicine for Sir in the rain, burnt my hands while preparing it, but Sir refused to see me.” Her voice quivered.

Wei Ying tilted her head: “Huh?”

Why wouldn’t her target look at her? Perhaps in the original scenario, he had been cold and distant.

Yun Shao’s eyes reddened. “But Sir survived, and I was relieved. That’s when I learned he most feared bitter medicine.”

Wei Ying: …Damn, caught off guard.

She coughed, suggesting: “Your Majesty, I understand your feelings, but the deceased is gone. Better to burn paper offerings than drag me into this.”

Yun Shao paused, solemn: “Sir said that if she is not of this world, offerings won’t reach her. So I waited… until I saw Xiao Qianxue, thinking she was his reincarnation.”

Yun Shao’s nose reddened. “I know I shouldn’t have mistaken her, but she resembled Sir too closely. Punish me, I am willing.”

Wei Ying thought: So that’s the emperor’s excuse? Yet it still feels like he’s teasing her.

Yun Shao tugged her sleeve earnestly: “Punish me, beloved.”

Wei Ying casually asked: “How?”

Yun Shao whispered: “In the past, I was… stripped and spanked…”

Wei Ying’s eyes widened in horror, stepping back until she hit the willow, scattering leaves. The waterfowl flew away.

She thought: Was I really that scary back then?

The emperor was lying again.

Seeing her reaction, Yun Shao added: “Sir rarely punished me; he cherished me. But that time, I made a grave mistake…”

Wei Ying asked: “What mistake?”

Yun Shao lowered her eyes: “I offended Sir. I failed to recognize him, but as emperor, not a naughty child, perhaps we should go to the Yangxin Hall for the punishment.”

Wei Ying smiled warmly: “You want a spanking, Your Majesty?”

Yun Shao blushed.

Wei Ying continued: “Why not just throw yourself down?”

Yun Shao sighed after a moment: “Enough, I have a headache. Help me back to Yangxin Hall, Yingying.”

Wei Ying: “I have a headache too, let’s return to Yulu Hall.”

Yun Shao tried to climb higher: “Then I shall escort you back.”

Wei Ying: …

Fu Shou pretended to be deaf and blind, avoiding any imperial wrath.

They lingered in the garden for a while. On the way back, they unexpectedly encountered Peng Liguo.

The Bei Yue envoy, likely drunk, had wandered and lost his way in the palace.

Seeing Wei Ying and Yun Shao, he was shocked, and after a slow reaction, drunkenly bowed.

Wei Ying had no interest in revenge, but Yun Shao silently observed the envoy kneeling.

Peng Liguo’s knees went numb; most of the alcohol had worn off, and sweat poured from his head.

Surely, the unpredictable young emperor would remember his mistake and come for his head.

Yet the emperor’s question wasn’t about the mistake: “Why did you think I am Yingying’s favorite consort?” She smiled warmly, brows curved, corners of her eyes red.

Peng Liguo hastily replied: “Yes, you are most compatible! A match made in heaven!”

He then noticed the emperor’s gaze softened, pleased. Just as he wanted to applaud his cleverness, he felt a chill down his back—the person beside the emperor looked icy, staring at him.

Peng Liguo rubbed his eyes, thinking he must have imagined it—wasn’t praising the consort’s compatibility with the emperor supposed to be a good thing?

He could not fathom Da Sheng people.

Yun Shao, in a good mood, forgave his mistake. “Rise.”

Peng Liguo scrambled up.

Wei Ying glared at him, thinking, Time to use a weather card—stormy wind and rain.

Palace-strategy spirit: “Host, what are you doing?”

Wei Ying only smiled. “What harm can Yingying do?”

Palace-strategy spirit fell silent. With more points, her revenge grew exponentially!

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