The Cannon Fodder Was Pampered By The Tyrant - Chapter 10

“Stick out your tongue.”

Lin Yutian became obedient.

That night, in order to prolong the time spent organizing, she had been forced to kiss Si Yan several times. By the time everything was packed, it was nearly midnight.

The moment Si Yan removed the silk ribbon from her eyes, Lin Yutian practically fell asleep instantly, sinking into the soft silk quilt. Her cheeks were soft, and her lips were still flushed red.

Si Yan sat beside her, leisurely raising a hand to tidy her hair. He reached down to remove her shoes and socks, then ordered someone to bring hot water. He personally wiped her face clean and then knelt to wash her feet himself.

The maid who brought the water wide-eyed at this sight.

Lately, rumors had been flying through the palace that the Emperor had taken a fancy to an obscure little maid.

Last time, Lin Yutian had publicly hugged Si Yan in front of so many people, yet not only was she not dead, she was being well-kept in his quarters even sleeping in the Emperor’s bed.

…No wonder Si Yan never associated with any noble families or princes; so, he preferred women?

That maid happened to be the one who couldn’t help but leak Si Yan’s itinerary to Lin Yutian that day.

“Dismissed,” Si Yan said softly.

The little maid said respectfully, “Yes.”

Carrying the bucket, she slowly backed out of the room.

It was clear that night had indeed exhausted Lin Yutian, and perhaps she was frightened by the ordeal. For the next few days, she was very well-behaved, staying quietly in the room without causing any trouble.

But this was merely Lin Yutian’s facade.

After careful analysis over these past few days, she had concluded that Si Yan was definitely too much of a pervert. He was using her as a tool for release, simply wanting to humiliate her.

After all, to Si Yan, there was likely nothing more satisfying than insulting an assassin sent specifically to kill him. Lin Yutian’s forced compliance acted as an accelerant to his desires. If he hadn’t grown bored of her yet, he certainly wouldn’t let her go.

Moreover, after her previous failed suicide attempt, Si Yan’s surveillance of her had become even stricter. It was almost impossible to find a way to kill herself… so what should she do?

While Lin Yutian was lost in thought, she suddenly heard shrill screams from outside the door. “Slave has learned her lesson! I beg Your Majesty for mercy! I truly know my mistake!”

Lin Yutian immediately got out of bed. Opening the door, she saw two people in deep blue robes dragging a maid toward the gate. That maid was the very girl who had provided her with information that day.

In that instant, Lin Yutian didn’t know where she found the courage, but she instinctively shouted, “What are you doing?”

The two people turned around, their voices cold and hard. “Do not interfere with official business, or we will arrest you as well.”

Lin Yutian ran over, spreading her arms to block them. She frowned deeply. “But even official business needs a reason.”

“A reason?” One of the captors sneered. “Loose lips, maliciously spreading rumors about His Majesty. That alone is enough for her to die a thousand deaths.”

Lin Yutian looked at the maid’s pale lips and forced herself to stay calm. “You have no proof. How do you know she was the one who spread the rumors? There are so many people in the palace, why pin it on her?”

“If you don’t believe it, ask the Emperor yourself,” the man said coldly. “Move.”

Lin Yutian tried to stay in their way, but she was ruthlessly kicked aside in the next second, falling painfully to the ground.

She clutched her side, her face turning white.

The surrounding maids wanted to help but didn’t dare. No matter how much they wanted to help Lin Yutian, they knew they had to protect themselves first.

To their surprise, they watched Lin Yutian slowly crawl back up.

Everyone knew how much strength the men of the Punishment Bureau had most were former soldiers who had followed the Emperor into battle. That kick was no light matter.

Holding her side, Lin Yutian staggered away.

At that moment, the newly transferred Mother Xu spoke up. “All of you, go back.”

“From now on, remember well what should and shouldn’t be said, do you understand?”

“What is the status of the investigation?”

Inside the Imperial Study, Si Yan blew on his tea while questioning the person before him.

“Your Majesty, I have thoroughly investigated Miss Lin’s background over the past few days. Her father was a low-ranking official under a county magistrate. Besides Miss Lin, there was a brother seven years younger. Five years ago, on the son’s birthday, the family’s carriage plummeted off a cliff, and they all perished.”

She paused for a moment. “And I have learned that Miss Lin was also in the carriage that day. Logically, there was no chance of survival under those circumstances.”

The war had broken out completely shortly after that day.

Listening to the report, Si Yan’s eyes darkened. “Is there any other news? Has she had contact with anyone over these years?”

The subordinate shook her head. “I have heard that Miss Lin is quiet and peaceful. She rarely speaks to anyone. She worked at a teahouse on Chang’an Street for two months before entering the palace.”

“Quiet and peaceful,” Si Yan slowly repeated those words.

It matched the description of everyone in the palace.

That was precisely the strange part.

What could happen to make a person change so drastically in such a short amount of time?

Before Si Yan could finish his thought, the doors were thrown open. Lin Yutian appeared, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright.

She ran to Si Yan, her tone urgent. “Si Yan, why do you want to kill her?”

She completely failed to notice she had addressed him by his name in front of others. The surrounding guards and the reporting subordinate all silently knelt.

Si Yan knew exactly why she had come. She was actually willing to go this far for a woman she had only spoken to a few times.

Thinking of this, he narrowed his eyes, his tone turning cold. “Who gave you permission to call me by my name?”

Lin Yutian was startled by his words. She stammered for a second, then softened her tone. “Your Majesty… why do you want to kill her?”

“Just a servant. I kill as I please,” Si Yan said, taking a sip of tea. “Do you intend to stop me?”

“You aren’t that kind of person,” Lin Yutian said hesitantly.

Si Yan’s movements paused for a split second before he continued drinking. “If you don’t think I’m that kind of person, then why did you come looking for me?”

Lin Yutian bit her lip. “But that sister doesn’t look like a bad person.”

She still remembered her conversation with the maid. Lin Yutian was usually bad at remembering people, but she couldn’t forget the bright eyes the maid had when mentioning Si Yan.

She was certain the maid was a good person, the “loose lips” must be a misunderstanding.

“Sister?” Si Yan repeated enigmatically. “Are you very close with her?”

Lin Yutian wanted to hit him. “That isn’t the point right now!”

During their argument, the subordinate who had been kneeling began to shuffle backward toward the door, followed by the guards who tactfully closed the doors.

“Regardless of what the point is, I will not change my mind.” Si Yan looked down at his scrolls. “Go back.”

Lin Yutian covered the scroll with her hands, preventing him from reading. “I’m not leaving unless you tell me what mistake she made that makes her so intolerable to you.”

Si Yan leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes fixed on Lin Yutian. “Do you truly want to hear it?”

Lin Yutian nodded.

Si Yan curled his lips. “Lately, the palace has been filled with stories of how you and I spend every night in song and harmony.”

Lin Yutian understood why he was angry almost instantly. She blinked, her face flushing pink. “Those… those are indeed rumors.”

Si Yan smiled but said nothing, signaling for her to leave. “Since you know, go out obediently.”

“But how can you be sure it was her who spread them?” Lin Yutian still refused to give up.

“Why?” Si Yan raised an eyebrow. “You dare ask why?”

(Crying face)

What did that mean?

As if remembering something unseemly, Si Yan let out a deep sigh. “Have you forgotten what you did to me after you fell asleep that night?”

That night…

Lin Yutian had indeed fallen asleep immediately and had no memory of it.

She gasped.

Could it be that she had inexplicably initiated intimacy with Si Yan again?!

“I kindly helped you back to bed, and yet you,” Si Yan sneered, “pinned me down on the bed, attempting to violate your superior.”

He watched Lin Yutian’s expression out of the corner of his eye. He saw her go from confusion to shock, and finally to a face of utter despair.

Si Yan added with satisfaction, “At that moment, she just happened to walk in. Who else could it be but her?”

Lin Yutian never expected the truth to be this. The fire she had gathered dissipated instantly.

So, she was the one in the wrong.

“But…” Lin Yutian said quietly. “But she shouldn’t have to die for that. Why take her to the Punishment Bureau?”

“Si Yan.” She walked to his side and slowly grabbed his sleeve. “Can you please not kill her? She didn’t make such a huge mistake.”

Si Yan pulled his hand away, causing Lin Yutian’s grasp to fail.

“Publicly discussing me within the palace, that isn’t a huge mistake?”

Lin Yutian’s lips moved, but she couldn’t find an excuse to counter him.

“But she might have just been careless for a moment…”

“If she can be careless about my life today, she can be careless with state secrets tomorrow.” Si Yan’s tone carried a rare solemnity. “What is wrong with pulling out the problem by the roots?”

Lin Yutian was speechless.

“But you,” Si Yan spoke again, “what right do you have to plead for her before me?”

Lin Yutian’s mouth opened and closed. For a long time, she didn’t know how to respond.

She gritted her teeth and asked, “Then how do you plan to punish her?”

Si Yan’s tone was indifferent. “Naturally, cut out her tongue and beat her to death.”

He spoke so lightly, yet Lin Yutian felt a chill in her heart the more she listened.

“But you could just kick her out of the palace and never let her back in,” Lin Yutian tried to persuade him. “No one is perfect. Maybe she’s just better suited for life outside the palace. Can’t you just dock her pay and expel her?”

Si Yan looked unmoved. “Are you questioning me?”

Lin Yutian’s confidence wavered. “I don’t want to question you. I just feel everyone makes mistakes, and they should be given a chance to correct them, right?”

“Si Yan.” Lin Yutian gathered her courage again, grabbing his sleeve and shaking it gently. “Withdraw the order, okay?”

“If you really can’t let go of your anger…” Lin Yutian took a deep breath. “Then I will take the punishment for her. Let her out of the palace, okay?”

She was going to die anyway at least this way, her death would serve a purpose.

Lin Yutian believed that as long as someone hadn’t crossed a fundamental moral line, things could be negotiated. After all, you only have one life.

Si Yan looked up at her, his phoenix eyes curving slightly. “Fine.”

He stood up, trapping Lin Yutian within his arms. At some point, he had picked up a snow-bright silver blade. With a tone that brooked no argument, he said:

“Stick out your tongue.”

Lin Yutian froze. Although she was the one who had said the words, she hadn’t actually expected Si Yan to do it.

But why was she so certain he wouldn’t?

There was no time for Lin Yutian to ponder that subtle question. A word once spoken cannot be taken back. Ultimately, she tremblingly opened her mouth.

Si Yan remained unmoved. “Wider.”

Lin Yutian’s fingers curled slightly as she struggled to open her lips wider.

Si Yan’s voice was cold. “Where is the tongue? Stick it out.”

Soon, he saw the pink tongue, which had been curled deep inside out of fear, slowly extend from the mouth.