Chapter 33: Back to Me Again?

That hand was finally about to make contact.

That expanse of snow-white skin, intoxicating enough to stir the soul, that profound depth capable of consuming all reason, was within arm's reach. Zhao Yi could even smell the increasingly rich, orchid-like fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose. He was trembling with such excitement that every pore on his body seemed to be screaming.

It’s here!

The moment I’ve dreamed of, it’s finally here!

Just as his fingertips were about to brush against that warm, smooth skin…

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Outside the door, a thunderous pounding erupted, accompanied by a shrill, anxious voice with a distinct, reedy quality.

"Lord Zhao! Lord Zhao! Wake up, quickly!"

"His Majesty summons you!"

Boom!

Zhao Yi felt as if something had violently shattered inside his brain. The breathtaking scene before him vanished like a broken mirror. The soft, fragrant couch, the gossamer-thin veils, the soul-stirring curves—all disappeared without a trace. In their place remained the familiar carved canopy of his own bed.

"Damn it!"

Zhao Yi sat up abruptly, his eyes bloodshot and veins bulging on his forehead, radiating an aura of destructive, violent rage. His reason had completely snapped the moment the dream shattered.

It’s that old eunuch, Eunuch Gui, again!

Sooner or later, I’ll chop off your "equipment" and stuff it into your mouth!

Zhao Yi grabbed his pillow and hurled it at the door, letting out a roar.

"Get out!"

Yet, the voice outside persisted doggedly.

"Lord Zhao, it is an urgent summons from His Majesty! Please, hurry!"

His Majesty?

Zhao Yi’s anger was doused like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing most of it instantly. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the urge to drag Eunuch Gui in and beat him to death, and climbed out of bed with a dark expression.

...

The Imperial Study.

The same familiar formula, the same familiar atmosphere. Incense curled in the air, the mood solemn. Zhao Yi stood in the hall, feeling as though he visited this place more often than his own home. He looked up, accustomed to the routine, toward the couch behind the dragon throne.

As expected.

Empress Wu Mingkong was reclining there, a scroll in her hand, her posture languid, her phoenix eyes slightly downcast. Today, she wore dark-colored casual attire; though it lacked the majesty of the dragon robes, it traced her exquisite curves in an even more heart-stopping manner. The loose fabric could not conceal the proud swell of her chest.

Zhao Yi’s gaze uncontrollably lingered on that area for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing unconsciously.

Damn, it’s exactly like the dream. No, even more magnificent.

"Have you seen enough?"

The Empress didn't even look up as her cool, detached voice floated toward him. Zhao Yi quickly averted his gaze, a fawning smile plastered on his face.

"Your Majesty, do not insult your subject. I was merely stunned by your grace, which seems even more radiant than before."

The Empress lowered the scroll, her beautiful phoenix eyes finally settling on him with a trace of playfulness.

"Lord Zhao’s tongue is as sweet as ever."

She shifted the topic. "The Nanyue delegation is leaving the capital today. That Ye Qingliu has been bedridden at the guesthouse for two days; I hear he still trembles when he tries to drink a glass of water. Your mouth is more effective than my thousands of troops."

Zhao Yi’s spirits lifted instantly. "They’re leaving?"

He slapped his chest with a resounding thud, looking utterly indignant. "Your Majesty, that Ye Qingliu came from thousands of miles away, only to be moved by my earnest patriotic heart. Now that he is departing, it is only fitting that I send him off to demonstrate the magnanimity of our Great Zhou!"

"I simply must see him off!"

The corner of the Empress’s mouth twitched imperceptibly. "Are you going to send them home, or send them to their graves? Do you have no self-awareness of what kind of person you are? I fear the Nanyue delegation will need to prepare an extra coffin before you even reach the city gates!"

Zhao Yi was choked speechless, his face wearing a pitiful, aggrieved expression. *I just thought he might be lonely on the road and wanted to tell him a couple more jokes.*

The Empress couldn't be bothered with his antics any longer, her expression turning serious. "The Shadow Guards I tasked you with—how are they progressing?"

At the mention of official business, Zhao Yi immediately shed his playful demeanor and straightened his posture. "Reporting to Your Majesty, we are already seeing initial results. Nowadays, within Luoyang, no movement goes unnoticed by my eyes."

The Empress narrowed her phoenix eyes, a hint of scrutiny in her gaze. "Is that so? Then why were you unaware that the Nanyue delegation is leaving today?"

Zhao Yi’s heart skipped a beat. A scene flashed through his mind—Tian Yi reporting this to him yesterday. It seemed… indeed, that was the case. But at the time, his head was filled with the hundreds of thousands of taels of silver notes; he had no time to spare for such trivial matters.

He rolled his eyes, quickly concocting an excuse, and assumed a look of profound remorse. "Your Majesty, the blame lies entirely with me! My men in the Shadow Guards did report the news, but I… I was so immersed in my infinite reverence and devotion to Your Majesty that I momentarily neglected it. My heart and my mind are so filled with your grand vision for the ages that there is simply no room for anything else!"

This flattery was refreshing, unconventional, and delivered with total conviction. The Empress looked at his earnest expression, torn between wanting to laugh and feeling annoyed. This scoundrel could lie without even blinking.

She decided not to dwell on it and spoke slowly, her voice carrying a trace of chilling coldness. "Since the framework for the Shadow Guards is established, it is time to act. That old dog, Wang Defa, has sat in the position of Chancellor for far too long. I… will fall ill."

Zhao Yi’s heart sank. He knew the killing blow was coming. The witchcraft scandal!

The Empress looked at him, her eyes sharp as blades. "I want you to use the hands of the Shadow Guards to plunge this knife into Wang Defa’s heart! This must succeed; failure is not an option!"

Zhao Yi took a deep breath and knelt on one knee, solemn. "Your subject obeys!"

Just then, the Empress casually picked something up from the desk and tossed it toward him. "A reward for you."

Zhao Yi caught it instinctively. It felt warm and smooth—a sensation he recognized. He looked down and was instantly stunned. It was a jade-green, crystal-clear wine cup.

*Isn't this the "Spring Moon" I sold just last night?! How the hell did it end up in this woman's hands?!*

The Empress, seeing his dumbfounded expression, assumed he was stunned by the beauty of the glass cup. A trace of mocking sarcasm curled at the corner of her mouth.

"That old dog Wang Defa sent this into the palace first thing this morning. He claimed it was a peerless treasure he spent 120,000 taels to acquire from a Western merchant as a gift for my amusement. One cup, 120,000 taels. He is truly generous."

The Empress’s voice was filled with mockery. "Such extravagant items are useless to me, so I bestow it upon you."

Zhao Yi’s mouth hung open; his brain could no longer process this. *That old bastard Wang Defa bought it from me for 120,000 taels and turned around to gift it to the Empress. The Empress then gave it back to me as a reward. Does this mean the object just made a circle and ended up back in my hands? Did I just make a profit off myself and move myself to tears in the process?*

He was about to explain that he had someone fire this thing for less than two taels of silver, but before he could speak, the Empress’s voice rang out again.

"That’s all. No need for thanks. Get out and get the job done."

Zhao Yi swallowed his words. Holding the cup—worth 120,000 taels but costing less than two—he felt so aggrieved his face turned green.

"Your subject… withdraws."

He bowed and retreated from the study step by step.

...

Leaving the palace, Zhao Yi didn't even return home; he went straight to the secret base of the Shadow Guards in the city. He kicked the door open and walked in with a dark expression.

"Tian Yi!"

Tian Yi’s figure appeared before him like a phantom. "My Lord."

Zhao Yi slapped a note he had prepared earlier onto the table. On it was the Empress’s birth date and time.

"Find the most reliable person and hide this in Wang Defa’s home. It must be hidden well, yet discoverable at a critical moment by someone ‘inadvertently.’ Do you understand?"

Tian Yi picked up the note, glanced at it, and held it to a candle flame, burning it to ash. His face remained void of any expression.

"This subordinate understands. It will be done by tonight."