Chapter 292: Lady Wang, That’s a Very Dangerous Idea

Having received such praise, Wang Wanqing was in an exceptionally good mood. She hummed a little tune, skipping all the way back.

She looked just like a child who had never grown up, showing no trace of the iron-fisted and merciless Lady Wang.

When she reached her quarters, she saw Chu Lingyi sitting dazedly at the entrance, her entire being like an empty shell, as if her soul had been torn away.

Just then, the Imperial Physician, Ning Can, walked over. Wang Wanqing asked in a low voice, "Uncle Ning, what’s wrong with her?"

Ning Can’s mustache twitched. "Xiao Jingming escaped to find her. She cut off his leg, and he died."

Wang Wanqing’s eyes widened in surprise. "Damn, that’s ruthless!"

’She has the makings of a general.’

Ning Can glanced at the young woman who looked so soft and cute but was actually quite fierce. Shaking his head, he walked over to Chu Lingyi. "Miss Chu, please allow me to examine your injuries."

Ning Can was Ning Chong’s son and had inherited his father’s profound skills, specializing in traumatic injuries and orthopedics.

Ning Chong was getting old and could no longer endure the rigors of a military campaign, so Xiao Li had brought his son along as the army’s physician.

Chu Lingyi’s injuries had been healing exceptionally well, and there were no major issues. However, she had fought earlier today and needed to be checked.

In truth, it wasn’t necessary for Ning Can to come himself; any of his assistants could have done it. But Chu Lingyi was held in high regard by Her Majesty, so Ning Can decided to see to her personally.

Although Chu Lingyi was still in a daze, she was compliant, extending her leg or lifting her foot as requested.

After his examination, Ning Can concluded, "There are no issues. The wound wasn’t aggravated. We just need to change the dressing."

An assistant deftly changed the dressing, and then the two of them departed.

Ning Can was only responsible for treating injuries. Anything else was outside the scope of his duties.

Wang Wanqing wanted to comfort her, but she had no experience with such matters and had no idea what to say.

’Maybe I should go ask Her Majesty?’

’No!’

Wang Wanqing shook her head again and again, banishing the terrifying thought.

’Her Majesty would flatten me.’

"Lady Wang."

Chu Lingyi’s voice cut through Wang Wanqing’s wandering thoughts.

Wang Wanqing feigned a cough. "Ahem, what is it?"

Chu Lingyi asked, "Was I... too cruel?"

She had cut off Xiao Jingming’s leg, and he had died as a result. In a way, she had killed him.

In the heat of the moment, her hatred had been uncontrollable. But now that she had calmed down, the thought that she had killed someone—and a man she once cared for at that—left her unable to find any peace.

Wang Wanqing hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do you regret it, then?"

Chu Lingyi shook her head. "I don’t."

She didn’t regret cutting Xiao Jingming. He had deceived her, caused her terrible suffering, and even implicated her brother. He deserved to lose a leg.

"But I didn’t want him to die."

"It’s not that I would have mourned his death, but I never imagined I would be the one to kill him."

Wang Wanqing sat down beside her. "I’m a civil servant; I’ve never killed anyone, so I can’t understand what you’re feeling. But if you’re struggling to make sense of it, would you like to hear the story of Her Majesty and me?"

Chu Lingyi nodded with almost no hesitation.

Wang Wanqing had only spoken on a whim. But now that she was about to speak of her time with the Empress, she found the whole thing quite marvelous.

After Her Majesty had fallen into a coma, Wang Wanqing had replayed those memories countless times, but this was the first time she was sharing them with another person.

"To tell it right, I have to start from the very first time I met Her Majesty. Back then, she was still Princess Xuanyang..."

Wang Wanqing always felt like she and the Empress had known each other for a very long time, but when she truly thought about it, the time they had actually spent together was remarkably short.

When she first met Her Majesty, she was just an ordinary young lady from a prominent family, waiting for her parents to arrange her marriage—her entire, unremarkable life laid out before her.

The Empress was the first person to look past all of that and recognize her for her abilities alone. It was then that she began to admire her.

Later, her cousin harbored malicious designs against the Empress, nearly turning Wang Wanqing and the Empress into enemies.

But even then, at her most desperate moment, the Empress saved her. She gave her a cloak, carried her while she was injured to her aunt’s home, and set her on a brand new path in life.

Later on, during the struggle for the throne, the Empress was victorious. The Wang family was condemned for backing the wrong side, but Her Majesty never held it against her. Instead, she allowed both her and her aunt to take part in government, giving them a chance to use their talents.

As Wang Wanqing continued her story, she began to lose track of her own words.

Every minute she spent with the Empress felt blissful, making it seem as if they had been together for ages. But when she truly counted the days, there weren’t that many at all.

’I wish I could be Hong Yue and stay by Her Majesty’s side at all times,’ she thought. ’But I promised Her Majesty I’d become her most capable female official. Sigh!’

She tilted her head and looked at Chu Lingyi. "Have I confused you with all my rambling?"

Chu Lingyi nodded. "A little. But Her Majesty is truly good to you."

It made her quite envious.

Although she had a brother, Chu Yungui was cold and reclusive, keeping everything to himself. It was only when he came to rescue her this time that she truly felt how much he cared. ’Then again,’ she thought, ’remembering all the beatings I took from him during training... heh, who needs a brother like that anyway?’

Wang Wanqing leaned against a pillar, her gaze fixed in the direction of the Empress’s quarters. "I don’t know what it’s like to love a man, and I can’t truly understand what you’re feeling. But I do understand one thing: if the person you’re with is a good person, your life will only get better. If they’re dragging you down into an abyss, then they deserve to die."

"Besides, what’s killing one person? The number of people Her Majesty has killed is beyond count."

With that, she let out a scornful laugh. "Those treacherous court traitors... the thing they curse her for the most is killing her husband. But do you see that stopping her from ruling the realm?"

She continued, lost in thought, "I don’t even have a husband, but if I did, and he dared to harm me, I’d kill him without a second thought. Then I could be just like Her Majesty."

Chu Lingyi: "..."?

’Lady Wang’s ideas are quite dangerous,’ Chu Lingyi thought.

However, after listening to her, the gloom that had been shrouding Chu Lingyi did indeed dissipate considerably.

And then, with a THUD, Wang Wanqing collapsed to the ground.

Over-exhausted and overly excited, Wang Wanqing had finally fainted.

Chu Lingyi thought, ’No wonder she started spouting nonsense. She was ill.’

Xiao Li came to see Wang Wanqing. Ning Can reported that she was merely asleep and there was nothing seriously wrong.

"Your Majesty."

Chu Lingyi called out to Xiao Li. "Your Majesty, Xiao Jingming said he bribed a Silver Armor Guard with a Jade Pendant to be let out. He also said the guard told him my location."

Anyone who had ever seen the Silver Armor Guards knew that they would never betray the Empress.

Xiao Jingming was the son of King Xian, one of the Empress’s most important prisoners. How could a Silver Armor Guard secretly release him for a mere Jade Pendant?

Xiao Li didn’t answer. She simply lifted her gaze, gave Chu Lingyi a single, indifferent look, and then turned to leave.

Chu Lingyi stood frozen in place, her body rigid. Her heart felt as if it had been plunged into an ice cave, and her pupils trembled with terror.

Chu Lingyi had always believed the Empress was a good person. After all, ever since they had met, Her Majesty had shown her nothing but kindness. The Empress in Lady Wang’s stories was an even gentler, better person, one who doted on her and was endlessly forgiving.

But this was an Emperor.

A woman who had forged the reputation of a tyrant.

That single glance held an intimidating majesty, a terrifying killing intent born from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

And she... she had actually dared to question an Emperor.