The Empress Wants It All: The Empire and Me - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lin Yanran rushed out of the house and headed straight for Liu Zhenzhen’s small courtyard.

It was now the end of the third watch (the period between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM). Boundless night shrouded the fields, and the entire Phoenix Town was submerged in sleep. Her house and Liu Zhenzhen’s were located in the west of the town, far from other residents, making the area exceptionally silent.

Clap, clap! Clap, clap!

She pounded on the wooden door until it rattled, the sound particularly abrupt in the dead of night.

As a physician, Liu Zhenzhen often experienced being called for medical emergencies late at night and was not a heavy sleeper. She was quickly awakened. Carrying a lantern, she opened the door, and upon seeing it was Lin Yanran, her willow-leaf brows immediately furrowed.

“It’s the middle of the night. What are you doing here?”

She pushed the door, intending to shut the courtyard gate immediately. Panicked, Lin Yanran pressed her palm against the door panel and squeezed inside without a word.

Liu Zhenzhen immediately smelled a rich, intense scent emanating from her. At first, it was a crisp, overflowing aroma of fine wine, followed by a fresh, serene fragrance of wood and plants… heavy, reserved, rich, and pure. It was a unique scent she had never encountered before.

Looking at Lin Yanran’s face, it was already burning a fiery red. Even from three paces away, one could feel the heat radiating from her body.

She blurted out, “Your pheromones exploded?”

Then her heart skipped a beat. Lin Yanran’s pheromones had exploded, but instead of going to her own wife, she came to knock on her door in the middle of the night?

“What do you want to do?” “What did you do to Mingyue?” “I’m warning you, don’t try anything, or I’ll go to the local bailiff immediately!”

Lin Yanran hurried toward her house. “Physician Liu, do you have medicine to suppress my pheromones?”

Liu Zhenzhen ran in front of her, spreading her arms wide. “Lin Yanran, it is absolutely detestable for you to break into an Omega’s house in the middle of the night. Get out!”

Forced to stop, the burning heat made Lin Yanran’s voice incredibly raspy. “Physician Liu, please, help me quickly!”

Urgently, she took a step forward and impulsively grabbed Liu Zhenzhen’s forearm.

An Alpha’s strength is naturally greater than an Omega’s. In her current state of pheromone explosion, Lin Yanran’s strength was extraordinarily large. Liu Zhenzhen tried to shake her off several times but couldn’t and retreated in fear.

“Lin Yanran, you are not welcome here!”

“I don’t have the pills you want!”

“Let go of me!”

How could Lin Yanran let go? She had thought she was incapable of marking and that her pheromones wouldn’t be released. But a top-tier Omega’s pheromones were too powerful. Simply by biting her, the scent had stimulated Lin to break through years of physical ailment. Her pheromones had exploded just like that!

This was her first time releasing pheromones. She had zero experience and had no idea what the consequences would be. The only solution she could think of was to seek help from Liu Zhenzhen.

“Physician Liu, please, you must help me.” Her voice trembled as she desperately endured the agony of the explosion.

Liu Zhenzhen knew well that for an Alpha, a pheromone explosion was comparable to consuming a doubled dose of potent aphrodisiacs. Almost no Alpha could resist this biological instinct; they would quickly become like beasts, venting their violence and lust on any Omega they could grab!

Invaded by Lin Yanran’s pheromones, Liu Zhenzhen’s skin crawled, and her limbs began to lose strength. She wished she could flee immediately, but Lin Yanran held her extremely tight. She hurriedly squeezed the scent sachet at her waist, and a cool, refreshing scent immediately entered her nose.

Only then did she find the courage to meet Lin Yanran’s gaze. Her face was flushed crimson, her forehead covered in fine sweat, but her expression of pain was highly restrained, and there was no lewdness in her eyes.

“Physician Liu, I’m about to lose control—” Lin Yanran let out a pained groan, a trace of blood-red appearing in her eyes.

Liu Zhenzhen felt the palm encircling her wrist grow hotter and hotter. The Alpha’s scent was so dense it almost suffocated her. Flustered, she stammered, “You… you… you let go first. I’ll go find medicine for you.”

Lin Yanran still didn’t let go. She pulled her into the house and only released her once they were in the main hall. Liu Zhenzhen glared at her with intense annoyance. Seeing that Lin was leaning against the door, clearly determined to stay, she had no choice but to turn and fetch the medicine.

Soon, she returned with a white jade bottle and poured out a red pill. “This is a Cooling Pill I formulated for myself. It can alleviate your symptoms. Take it with water.”

Lin Yanran swallowed it quickly and drank a cup of water. She immediately felt a wave of coolness slide down her throat into her lungs. The heat burning her heart and lungs eased considerably.

Liu Zhenzhen stood across the table, observing her secretly. She remembered Lin Yanran’s pheromones used to be pungent and irritating—a smell of strong liquor that was arrogant and repulsive. Moreover, the person was arrogant, rude, and crude in behavior. But looking at her actions just now—drinking water and taking medicine—there was a sense of… elegance despite the urgency?

Was this still Lin Yanran?

At that moment, Lin Yanran looked up, her eyes revealing an earnest gaze. “Physician Liu, I have one more thing to trouble you with. Mingyue is home alone. Please go and accompany her for the night. In the future, if you have any need, Yanran will be at your service.”

Liu Zhenzhen’s expression changed instantly. “Did you hurt Mingyue? You really are like a dog that can’t stop eating—”

She was so angry she almost swore. Realizing her language was improper, she bit her lip and glared at her indignantly. That sense of oddity vanished instantly; this scum really hadn’t changed!

Liu Zhenzhen grabbed her medicine box and walked out. At the door, she turned back and said impatiently, “The Cooling Pill was developed for my private use. It is time-consuming and laborious to make; I’ve never been willing to sell it…”

Lin Yanran immediately understood the subtext and said, “Physician Liu, as soon as it is light, I will go home to get money to pay for the medicine. Thank you for your help.”

Seeing her acceptable attitude, Liu Zhenzhen’s tone softened slightly. “The Cooling Pill can only temporarily alleviate your symptoms, but it cannot cure them completely. You have to endure it yourself… Even if you explode, you must not behave recklessly in my home.”

She was worried Lin Yanran wouldn’t be able to hold out and would bring over unscrupulous people. Lin Yanran’s “fox friends” often brought prostitutes back from the county seat; the Omegas at home were beaten into submission and didn’t dare interfere.

Lin Yanran had no idea she had been categorized as a lecher and asked, “Physician Liu, is there no medicine specifically to inhibit pheromone explosions?”

“No.”

Liu Zhenzhen left decisively, leaving Lin Yanran in deep thought. In this world with low productivity, inhibitors had not yet been born. However, similar things existed—like the pills Youqin Mingyue carried or Liu Zhenzhen’s Cooling Pills. These were private products that only a few could enjoy. Most Alphas indulged their desires without any restraint, while Omegas, once their pheromones exploded, faced nothing but the fate of brutal violation.

In the original story, after Youqin Mingyue was saved, her refusal to sleep with the original owner led to her being persecuted with drugs. As a result, she had to endure the pain of pheromone explosions periodically. The original owner, unable to mark her, not only watched the “show” but also cruelly insulted her with words. Later, when she sold Youqin Mingyue to a brothel, the madam used the most lethal pheromone stimulation pills, causing Youqin Mingyue to be consumed by lust and agony to the point of death. She was forced to gouge out her own gland with a knife, leaving her permanently disabled.

Gouging out a gland… even if Lin Yanran hadn’t experienced it, she knew how excruciating that must be. Her heart grew heavier. The current antagonist was reborn; she had already experienced all the harm the original owner had inflicted. She even felt that Youqin Mingyue had come back specifically to seek revenge!

Lin Yanran gave a bitter smile. The next moment, her expression changed as a burning torrent surged within her, rushing from her lower abdomen to her limbs, then slithering through her body like a loach. She fell painfully to the floor, her face burning red one moment and turning deathly pale from pain the next.

This Cooling Pill really only treated the symptoms, not the cause! She struggled to climb up and broke into Liu Zhenzhen’s pharmacy, frantically searching through the herbs. Having studied countless medicines in her past life, perhaps she could find something usable.

Youqin Mingyue did not sleep peacefully. After being temporarily marked, her restless pheromones calmed down, but her body was completely exhausted. Having been imprisoned for over two months and daily insulted and tortured by that scum Lin Yanran, her health had deteriorated. She had been coughing up blood and was now physically drained, as if she had suffered a major illness.

Falling into a muddled sleep, she dreamed of old events. Her father was the Emperor of the Shenyao Kingdom, and her mother was the Empress. Upon her birth, she was titled the Eldest Imperial Princess of Shenyao—of noble blood, supreme status, and unparalleled glory. Yet, because of treacherous officials and seductive influences ruining the country, she had fallen to this state, while her beloved mother languished in the dark Cold Palace.

Mother… Mother…

Returning to this life, the thing she wanted to do most was to see her mother. Her mother was accompanied only by a lonely lamp in the Cold Palace, while her only daughter could not save her from that misery. Hatred and pain were like two venomous snakes, biting her desperately.

Mother—your child is unfilial!

She called out continuously in her dream, tears flowing. The bitter tears submerged her, suffocating her until she woke up in shock!

Liu Zhenzhen, who had been leaning against the table, woke up. Seeing Youqin Mingyue’s forehead covered in fine sweat, she immediately got up and came to the bedside, asking with concern, “Mingyue, how are you? Did you have a nightmare?”

Youqin Mingyue looked at her with deep eyes and asked hesitantly, “Why are you here?”

A look of indignation immediately appeared on Liu Zhenzhen’s face. “It’s all because of your wife, Lin Yanran. She knocked on my door in the middle of the night. Her pheromones exploded, and she begged me to help inhibit them. She mentioned you were home alone and entreated me to come keep you company.”

At this point, her tone softened. “I was worried something was wrong, so I came immediately.”

Youqin Mingyue’s hand under the quilt suddenly gripped her dagger. “You stayed with me all night?”

In that case, wouldn’t her sleep-talking during the nightmare have been heard? Her identity must never be exposed, or it would immediately invite persecution from those villains! Murderous intent appeared in her eyes; her body tensed, and her gaze flickered over Liu Zhenzhen’s slender neck. That was the most vulnerable part of the human body. It would take only one strike to kill her without a sound.

Liu Zhenzhen, thinking she was filled with guilt, said, “Don’t mind it. I came over to rest anyway.”

Youqin Mingyue stared intently into her eyes. “Did you hear any noise? Did I disturb you?”

Liu Zhenzhen said quickly, “You were sleeping soundly when I arrived. I fell asleep leaning on the table and didn’t expect to sleep until now… I said I was accompanying you, but I didn’t really. Mingyue, don’t take it to heart.”

Liu Zhenzhen was one of the few people who were truly kind to her. If possible, she didn’t want to kill her. But if her secret was truly leaked, she would kill her without hesitation. The hand under the quilt trembled; the chill of the dagger seemed to transfer to her body.

Unaware of this, Liu Zhenzhen helped her hang the bed curtains, then went to the window to check the sky. She turned back with a smile. “Mingyue, I even had a dream last night. I dreamed I was looking for a bed but couldn’t find one. Tee-hee—I hope I wasn’t the one who woke you up?”

Youqin Mingyue’s heart eased, and she slowly released the handle of the dagger.

Just then, the front door creaked open. Liu Zhenzhen peeked through the window gap, her smile vanishing instantly. She turned back with a complex expression. “Mingyue, Lin Yanran is back. Is there anything you want me to help you with?”

Youqin Mingyue’s face remained calm. “I’m fine.”

Liu Zhenzhen looked at her haggard face. It was excessively pale, yet that didn’t diminish its beauty. Instead, the sickly pallor added a sense of withering and brokenness, making her heart ache. She couldn’t help but think: Lin Yanran is truly a piece of scum. How could she bear to raise a hand against such a peerless beauty?

“Don’t worry. I leave tomorrow; I will definitely deliver that letter for you,” she said, as if making a promise.

Meanwhile, Lin Yanran had reached the main hall. She didn’t enter immediately, nor did she make a sound. Liu Zhenzhen lifted the door curtain and walked out.

The two made eye contact. Lin Yanran immediately pressed her finger to her lips. “Shh. Physician Liu, is my wife awake?” she whispered.

Liu Zhenzhen felt incredibly strange. This gentle and considerate version of Lin Yanran was a completely different person from her impression. However, her sympathy for Youqin Mingyue’s plight meant she had no good face for her. “She’s awake. Go see her. Farewell.”

Lin Yanran said quickly, “Physician Liu, thank you for your help last night and for staying with my wife. I specifically went to the market to buy some food. Please join us.” She lifted the lotus-leaf-wrapped package in her hand.

Liu Zhenzhen felt even more weirded out. She glanced at her again and said, “Zhang Zhen and the others drank too much and are still unconscious. They asked me to check on them first thing this morning. I can’t delay. Farewell.”

Lin Yanran thought to herself that, based on her estimation of the time, those three scumbags should wake up today, so she didn’t try to make her stay. She was extremely confident in her mastery of pharmacology and wasn’t worried at all.

Standing before the bedroom door, she was about to lift the curtain but stopped and asked, “Is it convenient if I come in now?”

There was silence for a while. Just as she was about to speak again, a low “Mhm” came from inside.

She walked in. Youqin Mingyue was standing by the window with her back to her. Her tall figure was silhouetted in a lean shape by her long dress, looking very lonely. The dress was poorly made and didn’t fit well, but even so, on her, it looked like a dignified and noble palace garment.

“Should I bring the food in, or will you come out to eat?”

Youqin Mingyue turned around abruptly, her calm, deep eyes falling on Lin’s face. Stared at by that sharp gaze, Lin Yanran’s heart rate involuntarily quickened. These eyes were too sharp. Even though Lin had become famous at a young age, experienced countless national-level events, and represented her country at international meetings, she still felt a pressing pressure under such a gaze.

However, she didn’t show any fear and looked back at her openly. After all, the original owner did those things; she was also a victim.

“I’ll bring it in then.” She made a decisive choice, turned to fetch the food, and set it out one by one on the table in the room. Then she called out, “Mingyue, come eat while it’s hot.”

Youqin Mingyue’s brows furrowed. She found this scum utterly disgusting. To hear her own name called by this person felt like a humiliation!

“You are not allowed to call me that.”

Lin Yanran followed her lead and changed her address. “Wife (Niangzi), please come for the meal.”

Youqin Mingyue’s brows furrowed even tighter, her voice cold and stern. “Shut up.”

Names aren’t allowed, and ‘Wife’ isn’t allowed. Should I call her ‘Sweetheart’? Lin Yanran thought to herself with a bit of dark humor, but she only thought it. If she said it out loud, she’d probably be stabbed immediately.