I've Decided To Be This Tyrant's Dark Moonlight - Chapter 93

Yunshu lifted her gaze, looking into Wei Ying’s eyes, her palms clenched nervously.

She thought, Will Yingying see me as a tyrant? Will she hate me from now on?

Wei Ying laid her hand on the emperor’s shoulder, her eyes lowered, silent—wondering how to handle this beauty. The spy who so resembled her original body had quite a presence in the novel’s plot, a little moth causing trouble in later chapters.

The power of the plot probably wouldn’t allow such a moth to flap its wings and fly off too easily.

Yunshao, seeing Wei Ying remain wordless, grew even more uneasy. Her fingers twisted together, and she shrank like a little hedgehog, carefully tucking away her spines, trying her best to look gentle and harmless.

“I’ll send them away, send them back,” Yunshao offered as remedy. “Would Yingying think that’s good?”

Wei Ying came back to herself, smiled at her, and rubbed the young emperor’s cheek. “As long as it’s Your Majesty’s decision, it’s fine.”

Yunshao let out a long breath of relief, then turned and twined with Wei Ying.

The days that followed were no different from usual.

The thin layer of snow on the eaves melted in the sun, water seeping into the dark soil, where shoots of green grass poked out their heads. The pond glimmered like a clear mirror. Early orioles sang in the branches. Swallows newly arrived at the Jade Dew Palace flitted about, gathering mud for their spring nests.

Spring blossomed, all things revived.

Wei Ying pushed open the carved window and saw that a peach tree had come into bloom. She couldn’t help but smile. Leaning out, she clipped off a branch of blossoms at their peak, placing it into a clear water vase, intending to give it to the emperor later.

Trying things out with the emperor… it feels much better than I thought, she mused.

When your heart clings to someone, every beauty you see makes you want to share it, to let her see it too. That feeling was good—like having found a home.

She trimmed the branch, lips curled in a smile—when suddenly the door behind her was flung open with a bang.

Her smile froze. …

Xiao Qianxue: “Yingying! Let’s go ride horses at Baoyun Palace!”

Wei Ying held her waist. “No, my waist hurts.”

Ever since Xiao Qianxue had gotten close to the Noble Consort, she went daily to Baoyun Palace for horse riding, sword practice, and hot springs—and insisted on dragging Wei Ying along. For three days straight, Wei Ying hadn’t had time to visit the emperor!

Qianxue’s eyes went round. “Your waist hurts? Is it serious? I’ll take you to see the imperial physician!”

Wei Ying shook her head. “It’s fine, not serious. I’ll just lie down a bit. You all go have fun; no need to worry about me.”

Qianxue tilted her head, eyeing the scissors in Wei Ying’s hand and the bright peach blossom by her side. Her eyes lit up. “That peach blossom is so pretty! Yingying, can you give it to me?”

Wei Ying: “No, I—”

Qianxue laughed. “You’re planning to give it to the emperor, aren’t you?” She gave a little huff. “If you want to curry favor with the emperor, just say it. I won’t hog you all to myself.”

Wei Ying chuckled. “Qianxue, you’ve gotten smarter!”

Qianxue pouted. “I’ve always been smart!” She pushed open Wei Ying’s window, eyes catching the curtain of spring outside—peach blossoms blazing bright, lighting up the whole garden. She jumped onto the peach tree, plucked a branch, and smiled sweetly. “I’ll take a branch of spring beauty to give to the Noble Consort too.”

Wei Ying: “You’ve learned well.”

Qianxue tucked the branch into her collar and leapt to the grass, her hundred-flower dress flaring out.

The young girl stood amidst the spring glow, her radiant smile outshining all the blossoms. She waved to Wei Ying. “Yingying, I’ll be going first!”

Wei Ying nodded. “Mm, go on.”

Qianxue walked a few steps, then turned back. “Oh right, Yingying, you should be careful.”

Wei Ying arched a brow in surprise. “Careful of what?”

Qianxue ran back, leaning at the window, and whispered, “I heard that among the maids by the emperor’s side, a very beautiful woman appeared—always trying to stick close to the emperor.”

Wei Ying’s brows arched in amusement. “Oh? Such a thing?”

Qianxue nodded solemnly. “Yes indeed! But don’t worry, the emperor doesn’t notice her at all. Every time she tries to get near, others push her away!” She raised her chin, grinning. “The emperor can only be with Yingying!”

After Qianxue left, Wei Ying lowered her gaze in thought. She picked up the peach branch and slowly made her way to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

When she arrived, Yunshao was, as always, at her desk reviewing memorials.

Wei Ying knew the imperial exams were approaching—this was a key moment for new policies. The emperor was swamped; aside from morning court, she was either quarrelling with ministers in person, or fighting them on paper with her brush.

Sometimes, even in bed, her mind wandered, and her cries were no longer as sweet as before.

Wei Ying felt quite defeated.

Still, she tried to be a considerate partner, not adding to the emperor’s burdens. She quietly walked to the window, pulled out the withered foxtail grass, and replaced it with the fresh peach blossom.

Hearing the sound, Yunshao lifted her eyes and saw the blazing flower.

Wei Ying casually pushed open the window and tossed the dead grass outside.

Yunshao stood, almost regretful. “You didn’t have to throw it out.”

Wei Ying tilted her head, smiling. “Out with the old, in with the new. Your Majesty, continue your work. Don’t mind me.”

Yunshao set down her brush, came to her side, wrapped an arm around her waist, and rested her chin on Wei Ying’s shoulder, gazing out at the spring view with her.

After a while, Yunshao sighed.

Wei Ying asked, “Why does Your Majesty sigh?”

Yunshao frowned. “In Jiangnan, the hills must already be full of blossoms, unlike here—where only a small corner can be fenced off for flowers. If only that day Yingying had agreed to come away with me, we could be picking flowers in the mountains now.”

Wei Ying: “Is Your Majesty blaming me?”

Yunshao shook her head, hurriedly denying it. “Of course not! So long as Yingying is with me, anywhere is good.”

Wei Ying smiled, turned, and hugged her. “Good girl.”

Yunshao’s ears instantly flushed red.

Wei Ying patted her, urging her back to her work. Once she secured her power and reclaimed authority, they could disguise themselves and travel south—go wherever they liked, stay as long as they wished.

The emperor, deeply drawn to Wei Ying’s stories of traveling incognito through Jiangnan, grew instantly fired up, rolling up her sleeves to dive back into memorials—determined to topple the palace faction quickly and take Yingying south.

Watching the emperor brimming with fighting spirit, Wei Ying lounged on the beauty couch with the smug smile of a capitalist, casually picking up a storybook.

Life as a pampered parasite was far too blissful.

So why ever struggle before? Being a salted fish was the true way.

She was absorbed in her book when she suddenly heard a familiar voice.

“Your Majesty, you’ve been reading memorials for so long. You must be tired—please rest for a while.”

The voice was soft and gentle, like jade beads falling on an ice plate, tender and pleasing to the ear.

Wei Ying’s heart skipped a beat. She lifted her eyes and, seeing the speaker, was stunned for a moment—as if gazing at her former self.

A palace maid stood at the emperor’s side, tall and slender, breathtakingly beautiful.

Her skin was pale as porcelain, her nose straight, her eyes slightly upturned at the corners, lips curved in the faintest smile.

Wei Ying propped her chin on her hand, studying that face with a trace of nostalgia. The book had said this new beauty resembled the White Moonlight by eight or nine parts—and indeed, at a glance, it was like looking into a mirror.

Ah, the power of the plot. Truly reliable.

Unnoticed in the corner on her couch, Wei Ying stayed quiet. The spy beauty paid her no attention, all her focus fixed on the emperor.

So Wei Ying said nothing, watching closely, curious about Yunshao’s reaction.

Without even lifting her head, Yunshao ordered, “Leave.”

The spy beauty: …

Yunshao kept her head down, brush flying across the page as she scolded coldly, “Who allowed you in? Where is Fushou? Such disorder, no sense of decorum.”

Wei Ying couldn’t help but laugh.

The spy beauty stood awkwardly, at a loss, her brows furrowed in helpless misery that even stirred Wei Ying’s pity.

Still, she kept observing. Tsk, tsk. She looks pitiful enough that I feel for her—what more if the emperor does?

But Yunshao never lifted her head, memorials flipping swiftly one after another, like an unfeeling work machine.

The spy beauty, stubborn as well, refused to leave, standing dutifully at her side.

At last, after finishing the stack, Yunshao slumped into her rosewood chair, eyelids drooping, drained. Noticing the figure beside her, she frowned impatiently. “Why are you still here? Off to the laundry bureau for a month’s discipline—”

Her words cut off abruptly when she finally saw that face.

Yunshao froze, eyes widening, tears welling up as she whispered, “Teacher?”

Wei Ying gave a dry cough in displeasure.

Hearing her, Yunshao glanced at Wei Ying, then back at the beauty. Realization dawned, and her face darkened with stormy rage. “Who sent you here?”

Imperial might surged—her gaze sharp as a blade.

At once the spy turned pale, trembling as she knelt. “The Empress Dowager sent me to serve Your Majesty.”

Wei Ying: Oh ho, as expected—related to the Dowager.

Yunshao snapped, “Get out!”

Sensing her killing intent, the beauty scrambled away, only to be halted at the doorway.

Yunshao tilted her head, smiling sweetly. “Go tell my mother—don’t think just because you wear that face, I’ll spare you. If I see you again, I’ll peel off your skin and keep it as a trophy.”

The beauty shuddered and fled faster.

When she was gone, Yunshao stood dazed for a long time, then walked to Wei Ying, half-kneeling, head buried in her lap, arms clinging tight—as if, by holding her so, she could reclaim a lost lover once more.

Wei Ying’s eyes curved as she stroked the emperor’s hair. “Your Majesty just looked at another woman.”

Yunshao’s voice was heavy. “She looked too much like my teacher of old.”

Wei Ying straightened, lifted her chin with a finger, and smiled slyly. “But I’m still jealous. What should we do about that?”

Yunshao tilted her head, thinking, then admitted candidly, “I was distracted. Then let Yingying punish me.”

Wei Ying asked with a laugh, “And how does Your Majesty wish to be punished?”

Yunshao gazed up at her, slender brows dipping into loose strands of hair, as she slowly loosened her own collar…

Support