Chapter 295: Has the Corpse Poison Gone to His Brain?

Jiang Zhou was buried in a pile of scrolls, and seeing the lists of charges one by one left him terrified and utterly disheartened.

Lu Ling’s sudden appearance made him jump with fright.

"Jeez, what are you doing here? You scared me to death."

Lu Ling wore a cloak, its shadow obscuring most of his face. His gaze swept over the documents in front of Jiang Zhou, and he picked one up to look at it.

"Why are you looking at this stuff?"

Jiang Zhou heaved a long sigh and said, tidying the scrolls, "I don’t want to, but I have no choice now."

A belated realization hit him, and he shot his head up. "Oh, right, you’re back. What about General Rong?"

Noticing Lu Ling’s attire, Jiang Zhou scrambled to shut the door, his expression panicked. "Did you kill General Rong?"

Lu Ling remained silent, making Jiang Zhou even more frantic. "Gods, then what are you doing back here? This is the Empress’s domain! If she finds out, there’s no escape for you."

Jiang Zhou was exasperated. "I told you not to cause trouble, not to cause trouble! You went and killed that Wizard, and now you’ve gotten Rong Qing killed too. This time we’re really, truly dead."

With Jiang Zhou nagging like a fretful mother hen, Lu Ling was amused and said deliberately, "Relax. Even if the Empress kills me, I’ll make sure to get you out first."

Jiang Zhou wanted to hit him. "Is this the time for that? I don’t need you to save me, but if the Empress wants to kill you, I... I’m afraid I really won’t be able to save you."

Seeing Jiang Zhou taking it seriously, Lu Ling laughed out loud. "Alright, I was just teasing you. Rong Qing is alive. The Empress should have seen him by now."

Jiang Zhou: "..."

’His face fell. Friendship over!’

"Was that funny?" He had been scared to death, yet Lu Ling was just making a fool out of him.

"Since Rong Qing isn’t dead, why are you still wrapped up in this thing, acting all mysterious?"

As Jiang Zhou spoke, he reached out to flip open Lu Ling’s cloak. Lu Ling raised a hand to block him. Just as he was about to say something, the voice of a Silver Armor Guard came from outside. "Lu Ling, Her Majesty summons you."

’A summons, not an arrest.’

Jiang Zhou let out a huge sigh of relief. It seemed Lu Ling hadn’t been lying; Rong Qing really was alive.

Lu Ling rose to see the Empress, and Jiang Zhou immediately followed. The entire way, he found Lu Ling’s cloak to be an eyesore, but he knew his friend wouldn’t be persuaded, so he could only keep his mouth shut in resignation.

"This commoner, Lu Ling, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Your subject, Jiang Zhou, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Noticing Lu Ling’s gaze on him, Jiang Zhou grinned and raised his eyebrows smugly. ’Didn’t expect this, did you? Your brother here is an official now.’

Lu Ling let out a soft chuckle.

"You may rise."

In the sole seat in the center sat the Empress, dressed in magnificent robes, her expression cold.

Her gaze landed on Lu Ling. "Take off the cloak."

Jiang Zhou quickly looked at his friend, but Lu Ling didn’t move. From under his cloak, his gaze met the Empress’s directly—fiery and strange. The corners of his lips lifted slightly. "Is Your Majesty certain you wish to see? This commoner fears he might frighten Your Majesty."

Xiao Li looked down at him. "Perhaps you’d prefer the Silver Armor Army to pin you to the ground and strip you bare?"

Lu Ling’s lips twitched, and he raised his hands in resignation. "This commoner did, at the very least, do Your Majesty a great favor. Don’t I deserve a shred of Your Majesty’s gentleness?"

Jiang Zhou was just about to complain that Lu Ling was courting death again, but the moment Lu Ling took off his cloak, his expression changed drastically.

"How did you end up like this?"

He completely forgot the Empress was present, grabbing Lu Ling’s shoulders and staring at his face, his eyes filled with shock and anguish.

Half of Lu Ling’s face had taken on the same dry, cracked, corpse-like state that had been on Rong Qing’s face, spreading from the left side of his face down to his neck.

Jiang Zhou reached out to touch it, and his hand followed the affliction down to Lu Ling’s left hand.

Lu Ling was wearing gloves. He tore one off, revealing a hand that was clearly no longer that of a normal person.

Jiang Zhou wanted to continue, but Lu Ling stopped him. "That’s enough."

Jiang Zhou started crying. "What have you done? There was clearly someone who could save him, but you had to kill that person, and then do this to yourself."

Lu Ling pushed Jiang Zhou aside and looked up at Xiao Li. "Does Your Majesty still think my face resembles Lu Yanzhi’s?"

Xiao Li had no desire to answer such a pointless question. "You sacrificed so much to save Rong Qing. What do you want?"

Lu Ling’s gaze on Xiao Li was greedy. He raised a hand, pointed at her, and then at himself.

"I want to stand before Your Majesty, open and unconcealed. I want Your Majesty’s eyes to see me, Lu Ling."

He stared at her figure. She was a woman, but more than that, an Emperor. She possessed no tender affection or gentle charm; what she had was the cold indifference, the ruthlessness, the deadly authority of a ruler. And yet, she was supremely beautiful.

Like an indestructible sovereign’s sword, inlaid with the most magnificent jewels.

The most ornate exterior, the hardest core, the most formidable power, and the most supreme authority.

So perfect she drove one to madness.

"I, Lu Ling, am in love with the Empress, and I wish to court you." He was completely direct, concealing none of his feelings.

Jiang Zhou’s tears were still on his face. When he heard Lu Ling’s words, they instantly dried up.

’Seriously, man, what the hell is going on in your head?’

’Even at a time like this, after turning yourself into this, you still don’t forget to confess to the Empress.’

’Has the corpse poison gotten to his brain?’

The Empress: "Get out!"

Jiang Zhou: ’As expected...’

Lu Ling was unfazed by the Empress’s rejection. He elegantly draped the cloak back over himself.

"Your Majesty, Lu Ling and Lu Yanzhi have always been two different people. I have offended Your Majesty greatly in the past, and for that, I am filled with regret and self-reproach. But I will use the rest of my life to prove my feelings for Your Majesty."

"Since Your Majesty cares so much for Rong Qing, could I perhaps trade this meritorious deed for a chance to remain by Your Majesty’s side? I am willing to be your pawn, to serve you unconditionally and guarantee my loyalty."

The Empress rejected him heartlessly: "Impossible."

’If he hadn’t killed the Wizard that Duan Ji brought, it wouldn’t be his place to be negotiating here.’

’Besides, Xiao Li had no need for someone so perverse and wicked. She was enough of a mad person on her own.’

"Alas, then there’s nothing to be done." Lu Ling sighed in resignation. The next moment, he suddenly lunged at Xiao Li.

Rong Qing, who was standing guard at her side, immediately moved to intercept him. However, Lu Ling didn’t fight him at all; he just entangled him, darting toward the Empress whenever he found an opening.

His frenzied appearance was terrifying to behold.

The other Silver Armor Guards surged forward to surround Xiao Li, while some drew their swords and joined in, helping Rong Qing to subdue Lu Ling.

Pinned down, Lu Ling wasn’t angry or enraged. Instead, he was laughing.

"Your Majesty, kill me! Go on, kill me!"

"Drag him away!"

Lu Ling was dragged away by the Silver Armor Guards. Xiao Li’s gaze fell on Jiang Zhou, who was trying his best to shrink into the background. Compared to Lu Ling, this Jiang Zhou was far too normal. "With him being like that, how did you two become friends?"

Jiang Zhou, who had been wondering how he could sever ties with his friend in a way that would convince the Empress of his innocence, was abruptly called upon. He hastily replied, "Your Majesty, Lu Ling’s personality is just a bit perverse, but he’s actually a very good person. It seems he’s just been under some kind of strain recently."

’The few times he’s lost his mind, it’s always been because of the Empress.’

’He was even starting to suspect the Empress had put some kind of curse on Lu Ling.’

Xiao Li: ?

’Recently? Are you sure? Three years ago, when she seized the throne, this Lu Ling didn’t seem normal then either.’