The Empress Wants It All: The Empire and Me - Chapter 40.2

Chapter 40.2

She deliberately made a loud “gulping” sound so that Youqin Mingyue would know she had swallowed it.

Youqin Mingyue’s body, which had been sitting perfectly still, suddenly shuddered violently again.

Lin Yanran guessed that she must have reached her absolute limit. After all, compounding the medicine alone had taken six hours. While she didn’t fully understand the experience of a Kunze’s pheromone outbreak, she had experienced her own outbreak before—the sensation was like ten thousand ants gnawing at the heart or being burned alive. No one who had tasted it would ever want to endure it a second time.

Thinking of this, a complex feeling swept through her heart. She couldn’t help but say softly, “Mingyue, please take it.”

She poured her a cup of water and pushed both the cup and the pill toward her.

Youqin Mingyue kept her eyes fixed on her, her gaze searching. The fist resting on the table was shaking more and more intensely.

Lin Yanran knew she still didn’t trust her. This moment was as much a hurdle for Lin Yanran as it was for Youqin Mingyue. If she could gain her trust at her most vulnerable moment, everything would be easier in the future.

Lin Yanran pulled up a chair and sat down, deliberately sitting quite close to her. The moment she sat down, Youqin Mingyue finally made a decision.

Lin Yanran knew that with the Death Guards nearby, she wouldn’t dare harm her. She likely wouldn’t dare tamper with the medicine either. The theft of the gold was imminent—it could be tonight or tomorrow—and she absolutely could not afford to lose her sanity at this critical juncture.

She decisively picked up the remaining pill and placed it in her mouth. Then she picked up the cup and took a sip of water.

As she set the cup down, Lin Yanran noticed her body gradually relaxing. She leaned back against the chair, her frame softening like a string that had snapped after being pulled to its limit.

Her beautiful face was pale and bloodless, her expression a mix of icy coldness and a faint, underlying pain. Her deep, dark eyes partially closed, and her long, drooping lashes shadowed her somber gaze, giving her a look of fragile, tragic beauty.

Lin Yanran was moved by this scene. She couldn’t help but stand up, walk over to her, and whisper, “Mingyue, let me carry you to the bed to rest, okay?”

Youqin Mingyue’s eyelids closed a bit further, as if she didn’t want the vulnerability in her eyes to be seen. But she didn’t say anything.

She was so stubborn.

Lin Yanran sighed softly and leaned down to pick her up. When she placed her on the bed, she realized that the hand which had been hanging below the table was dripping blood. Red beads of blood seeped from every fingertip of that porcelain-white hand; some had already clotted, while others were still oozing.

It turned out she had brought out the dagger to cut her own fingers. The pain of the fingers is connected to the heart—there is no sharper agony. She was using this piercing physical pain to maintain her sanity and keep herself from surrendering to the ravages of her pheromones.

Lin Yanran’s heart suddenly ached for her. She gently tucked the corners of the quilt around her and began to walk away.

“Where are you going?” a heavy voice came from behind.

Lin Yanran turned back and saw her somber, fragile eyes. She said softly, “Don’t worry, I’m not leaving. I’m going to get some ointment to treat your wounds.”

Youqin Mingyue closed her eyes.

Lin Yanran quickly returned with the ointment, lifted her hand by the bedside, and applied it to every finger. Youqin Mingyue kept her eyes closed, her pale face stubborn and restrained, while a feverish, abnormal flush began to rise on her cheeks.

Lin Yanran felt a surge of worry and asked softly, “Mingyue, how do you feel?”

Youqin Mingyue didn’t respond, but the hand held in Lin Yanran’s palm suddenly curled and then gripped her hand tightly.

She gripped it very hard.

Lin Yanran was startled and leaned down to look at her. Youqin Mingyue’s brow was furrowed, her pale face was turning red, and fine beads of sweat began to break out on her forehead.

“Mingyue, how are you?”

Youqin Mingyue suddenly snapped her eyes open. They were terrifyingly cold as she stared fixedly at her. The redness on her skin spread like a tide, rapidly seeping out from under her collar, turning her neck and face a deep flush.

In the next instant, the hand gripping Lin Yanran’s shook violently, pulling her with immense force. Lin Yanran tried to pull away but couldn’t; the injured fingers dug hard into her palm, and the fingers that had just been treated with ointment began to bleed again.

Lin Yanran soon felt the wet stickiness in her palm. It was all blood. And Youqin Mingyue’s hand was rapidly becoming scorching hot.

Terrified and no longer caring for formalities, she hurried to support her back and helped her sit up. She realized her body had also become boiling hot and was trembling all over; because she had been suppressing it so hard, Lin Yanran hadn’t noticed. Now she was shaking so badly that her body lost all strength; if Lin Yanran hadn’t been supporting her back, she would have slipped down.

“Mingyue, how are you?”

“Tell me quickly!”

“Is the pill making you feel unwell?”

“Speak to me!”

Lin Yanran asked anxiously.

Youqin Mingyue’s cheeks were burning red, her eyes showed signs of losing focus, and the rims of her eyes began to turn a moist red. She bit her lip so hard it was nearly bleeding. Lin Yanran couldn’t help but reach out to squeeze her chin, and only then did she speak with great difficulty: “Lin! Yan! Ran!”

“What exactly did you give me?”

She spoke through gritted teeth, every word trembling as if squeezed from between her jaws. After speaking, she let out an unbearable moan. She bit her lip tightly once more, trying her best to endure the pain.

Hearing those words through gritted teeth, Lin Yanran knew instantly that her good intentions had caused disaster.

“Is the pill not working? Mingyue?”

“Mingyue, please, tell me what’s happening!”

Youqin Mingyue stared at her fixedly, her hands trembling as she grabbed Lin Yanran’s arms. She said in a raspy voice, “My pheromones… they’ve broken out even more violently!”

After saying this, her eyes turned red. She had trusted this commoner and taken her pill, only to find that the pheromones attacked even faster after taking it—and with a momentum more ferocious than any time in her two lives combined! It was so intense that she had been unable to speak a moment ago.

I hate this!

Her body began to curl up uncontrollably, her shaking grew more violent, and the skin of her palms was terrifyingly hot!

A strange fragrance began to emanate from her body, burrowing into Lin Yanran’s nose. Lin Yanran felt a bit dizzy—not like she was going to faint, but a light, airy feeling. Her limbs felt tingly and numb, intensely comfortable. Along with this strange fragrance, a restless, itchy feeling began to spread from the depths of her heart.

Lin Yanran couldn’t help but lean closer, encircling her back with her arm. Youqin Mingyue’s body was hot and soft, trembling as she hung in her arms; her writhing body rubbed against Lin Yanran’s chest, causing her heart to beat faster and faster. Only her two hands gripped Lin Yanran’s arms tightly, her fingernails scratching the flesh and causing stings of pain.

Youqin Mingyue felt her reason rapidly disappearing. The loss of control over her body brought immense fear. She didn’t dare delay; the gold was waiting for her, and she absolutely could not lose control! No matter how much she hated her, she had to wait until she passed this hurdle to take her revenge!

“Go… hurry…” she said in a low, raspy voice, urging her. Her fingertips dug deep into Lin Yanran’s arm out of hatred.

Lin Yanran felt a sharp sting. “Mingyue, what do you want me to do?”

Youqin Mingyue scratched her arm hard, her red eyes glaring at her as she said through gritted teeth, “Hurry and close the door and windows!”

Lin Yanran was snapped awake by the hatred in her eyes and quickly let her go. Her mind in a mess, she walked unsteadily to hurriedly shut the main door and tightly close the room’s windows. Only then did she take a deep breath and return to the bedside.

Youqin Mingyue had already curled into a ball. Her hands were clutched to her chest, gripping her own arms, her skin turned a misty red—the kind of flush born from extreme heat.

Fearing she would hurt herself, Lin Yanran hurried to pull her hands away, only to have her cling to her. Shaking, she burrowed into Lin Yanran’s embrace. As soon as that scorching skin touched her body, a shiver ran through Lin Yanran.

She involuntarily reached out both arms and hugged her.

“Mingyue, I… what should I do?” she asked hesitantly, her heart pounding as she secretly swallowed.

Youqin Mingyue was already dazed from the heat, her eyes a watery red. She tried her best to restrain the moans threatening to escape her lips and said in a raspy voice, “Temporarily… mark me.”

“Like last time,” she added lowly. Her voice, due to the pheromone outbreak, carried a strange allure, yet it also held a hint of resentment and endless unwillingness.

It sounded low, suppressed, and extremely restrained. But this complex and painful emotion, combined with her posture of curling into her arms and pressing against her body, was filled with an inexpressible temptation.

Lin Yanran couldn’t restrain herself and couldn’t hold back. She hugged her tightly once more. At the moment their two equally hot bodies touched, she clearly felt a numbing sensation like an electric current passing through her.

The two scents of pheromones became entangled, swirling, spreading, and filling the entire room. Just like the two of them, locked in an embrace.

Youqin Mingyue had only a final shred of reason left. Pain had shattered her heart. She hadn’t expected Lin Yanran’s medicine to have the opposite effect; instead of suppressing the restless pheromones, it had driven them into a frenzy, as if they were retaliating for the medicine by breaking out ferociously.

Her consciousness was blurring bit by bit. She felt herself being held tightly; her scorching body desperately needed a touch of coolness. She uncontrollably leaned toward that coolness, but her remaining reason told her: No! I can’t!

Two wills fought a frantic battle within her body. But the string of reason kept reminding her that this was a critical moment for stealing the gold. She absolutely could not lose her sanity because of pheromones. she had to suppress this loss of control. And to suppress the pheromone riot, she could only do what she did last time: let Lin Yanran temporarily mark her.

Pain, unwillingness, and shame tortured her heart, but she was forced to accept this choice. Noticing that Lin Yanran was holding her without moving, she couldn’t help but snap, “Hurry up!”

The raspy voice held no authority; instead, it was full of a seductive charm.

The shame in her heart instantly reached its peak, as did her murderous intent! Commoner, commoner, commoner! It’s all because of this damned commoner!

Her eyes were red as she glared fixedly at her, yet her body wouldn’t obey, pressing into her embrace and rubbing against her exposed skin. Her scorching body desperately needed a release. She craved her comfort.

Lin Yanran was also suffering. Youqin Mingyue’s pheromones were too powerful; her own pheromones were stimulated and broke out as well. At this moment, she not only had to endure Youqin Mingyue’s temptation but also restrain her own desires. But a Qianyuan’s desire for a Kunze is innate; how could she extinguish it?

She kicked off her boots and climbed onto the bed, immediately hugging her tightly.

The final shred of Youqin Mingyue’s reason issued a vicious warning: “Commoner, if you dare to cross the line, I will surely kill you!”

Lin Yanran, who was holding her, shuddered in fear, but was immediately stimulated by her scorching body into another shiver. The heat waves within her own body were raging in one surge after another. Lin Yanran felt like she was caught between ice and fire, suffering immensely.

She could no longer help herself. She freed a hand and pushed aside the long hair at the back of her neck. A patch of raised, pink skin immediately came into view. It looked like a blooming flower bud, crimson and decadent, breathing out threads of liquid.

As her fingertips touched her neck, it immediately caused Youqin Mingyue to let out an unbearable, low gasp.

“Hurry up, bite me!”

She spoke through gritted teeth once more, but because of the heat, her voice had become low and raspy, sounding even more alluring.

Lin Yanran didn’t hesitate to cover it with her lips, kissing that delicate, red skin. The soft gland was taken into her mouth, immediately bringing an exquisitely subtle pleasure. She licked it gently, sucking the liquid into her throat, and instantly felt a shudder that reached her soul.

Youqin Mingyue’s reaction was even more pronounced. She shuddered violently in her arms, her skin terrifyingly hot. The strange fragrance from her body spread like an invisible mist, enveloping the entire bed. Lin Yanran’s heart and soul were trapped in the rich fragrance; it tugged at the heartstrings, plucking at her most vulnerable emotions. Even harder to bear were the extremely suppressed, intermittent gasps reaching her ears.

It was almost like the music of a demon realm or a chant from hell, tempting her to fall into the abyss. She soon developed an incredibly intense desire to ravage and possess. She wanted to invade the body in her arms, to crush, devour, and possess it completely. Yet reason still obstructed this desire.

Lin Yanran bit down painfully. Her teeth dug deep into the gland, immediately sinking into an exquisite softness. She and Youqin Mingyue simultaneously felt a shuddering sensation of their souls merging.

It was as if a bolt of lightning had been born from their touching skin, with small currents climbing, wandering, and sending a numbing sensation throughout their bodies, finally merging into a throb that touched the soul!

Lin Yanran almost moaned from the pleasure. She let her teeth remain there, greedily sucking the constantly seeping nectar.

Youqin Mingyue nearly lost her soul; her ten fingers dug into Lin Yanran’s skin, leaving behind deep bloody marks.

This pheromone outbreak was more violent than any before, so this marking also brought an unprecedentedly intense experience. After a while, the two of them pulled away from this dizzying throb. It was as if they had just returned from a celestial realm. Their bodies and souls felt light, with a sense of comfort as if they could fly away at any moment.

Youqin Mingyue was the first to regain her senses and issued a warning immediately.

“Enough!”

But Lin Yanran felt it wasn’t enough at all. She felt everything had only just begun. She wanted to continue, pretending she didn’t hear as she continued to suck and kiss her soft gland, even licking it gently with her tongue.

“Lin Yanran! Enough!”

Youqin Mingyue spoke out in dissatisfaction again. After the marking, her voice sounded as if it had been washed in water—full of allure, enchanting and seductive, as if it had hooks. Such a soft warning held absolutely no deterrent power.

Moreover, at this moment, Youqin Mingyue was slumped limply in her arms, her whole person hanging on her. The high and mighty princess was beautiful, moving, and completely defenseless, like a magnificent flower waiting to be plucked.

Lin Yanran didn’t want to stop at all. It wasn’t enough.