Chapter 153: Chapter 123: The Emperor’s Heart Is Unfathomable

Nocturnal Heaven City, Palace City.

When Ying Rushi entered Changsheng Hall, she saw Ying Le personally demonstrating and instructing the dancers. The dancers surrounded the Empress, gazing up at the Empress’s world-stunning dance, while the fire pits inside the hall blazed brightly, illuminating their faces full of longing and admiration.

The only person in the hall not captivated by Ying Le was Ying Rushi. She saw the admiration in the dancers’ eyes, and at some point, tears had soaked her clothes.

"Rushi is here." Ying Le stopped, waved to signal the dancers and guards to leave; soon, only the two of them were left in Changsheng Hall.

She was wearing light gauze and a short, chest-tightened dress, stepping onto the platform with lively steps as if she were a young girl in her prime. Every movement was bubbling with cuteness, but when she reclined on the throne, bare feet raised, her demeanor turned languid, transforming into an unmatched beauty that could bring down kingdoms, with each gesture and smile accentuating her charm.

No one ever doubted Ying Le’s beauty, and Ying Le was never shy to show her beauty to the entire world. Anyone who has seen Ying Le would surely harbor disrespectful thoughts, imagining himself as the Emperor of great power, with Ying Le as the enchanting woman by his side; he would shatter the world into pieces just to earn a smile from the beauty; he would kill all offspring and kin to clear the path for the children of the woman he loves most; even if rebellion flags were raised everywhere, any Emperor would die willingly as long as he could embrace her.

So-called nation-ruining consort, Red Face Calamity Water, is nothing more than this.

Yet Ying Le was not a consort, nor a Red Face.

She was a Foundation Establishment Messenger.

She was the Emperor herself.

Without relying on others, her wrath could wipe towns off the map, while a smile could cause thousands to fall dead.

"Your Majesty." Ying Rushi knelt on one knee, spoke respectfully: "I came from the Thief’s House—"

"Don’t rush, look up, do you notice anything amiss?"

Ying Rushi looked seriously, her gaze locked onto the shoes next to the throne: "Your Majesty’s shoe, why is there only one?"

"Because the other one, I sold." Ying Le recalled this matter with delight, asked cheerfully: "How much do you think I could sell it for?"

Ying Rushi was not surprised by such things, Ying Le had done plenty of absurd things: "Your Majesty is the Qi Kingdom’s first beauty, also a Dance Dao Master, naturally your shoe is priceless."

"Everything has a price, and my shoe’s value is a Three-Turned Rare Token." Ying Le suddenly had a mirror in her hand; each token she owned was more precious and powerful than this mirror, yet she hugged it as a treasure to her heart, laughed: "Haha, some fool exchanged a Three-Turned Rare Token for my shoe! I really want to know what he’s going to do, best if used for something interesting."

"You can have the remaining one," with a toe, she hooked the remaining dancing shoe over to Ying Rushi, "if you sell it, remember to share the profit with me."

Ying Rushi placed the dancing shoe in her arms, her expression was normal, nodded: "I will remember." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Speak then, what was gained tonight at the Thief’s House?" Ying Le yawned, crossed her legs, her chest faintly visible, squinted slightly, asked.

"I am ashamed, unable to seize the chance to kill Shang Xuanwen. However, I successfully bid for the Legendary Relic - Heaven-Swaying Sword, specifically to present it to You Majesty!"

Ying Rushi untied the Heaven-Swaying Sword from her belt, offered it, sword and sheath in hand.

Ying Le seemed somewhat surprised, she reached out to stroke the sheath of the Heaven-Swaying Sword, felt the inscriptions on the side of the sheath, smiled: "Second-Turn Legendary Sword, huh? It suits you well, Rushi, why not keep it yourself? I couldn’t offer a reward more precious than this sword."

"I believe, the Heaven-Swaying Sword is the Celestial Monarch’s Sword, the King’s Sword; only in Your Majesty’s hands can it realize its greatest value, how could it be left to gather dust with me?"

Ying Rushi introduced the Heaven-Swaying Sword’s abilities in ruling, chaos, and dominance, spoke sincerely: "With the Heaven-Swaying Sword Your Majesty holds, can surely cleanse the universe, win the hearts of the people."

"The aura of Heaven-Swaying is so marvelous, with this artifact, Your Majesty can easily attract the young talents from Bu Liuguluo, Tuoba, Yuchi, Lu, Che, and Yi families, then draw elites from various regions of Baibao into the capital for nurturing, a massive force united under Your Majesty’s banner is just around the corner!"

Ying Rushi became more excited as she spoke; from the moment she saw the ruling ability, she had resolved to seize the Heaven-Swaying.

To others, the Heaven-Swaying Sword might just be an enabler for their faction-building, but to Ying Rushi, she saw it as a banner for Ying Le to restore the Emperor’s prestige!

For years Ying Le acted wantonly, doing as she pleased, yet what worried Ying Rushi most was Ying Le ignoring the court, severing the upper and lower communication paths. Ministers don’t see the ruler, the ruler doesn’t see the ministers, how can one talk of governing the country? The Heaven-Swaying Sword happens to solve this issue, as long as Ying Le has people she wishes to nurture, no matter whom she nurtures, can gradually cultivate an Imperial faction loyal to her.

With the ruling aura, as long as Your Majesty acts a bit more normally, they will surely admire Your Majesty like those dancers earlier.

Ying Rushi couldn’t advise Ying Le, nor affect the great clans of the Qi Kingdom, but as long as the Court has enough of the Imperial faction, at least the administration won’t fall into ruin, at least someone will be willing to do things, at least Ying Le can still hear the voices below!

Her heart filled with anticipation, she went on speaking extensively, with thoughts long pondered upon, expression flowing like a river, unaware of the fire pits in Changsheng Hall extinguishing one after another, darkness engulfing her shadow like a flood.

Clang!

The Heaven-Swaying Sword suddenly came out of its sheath, Ying Rushi felt a thrill in her heart, yet in the next second the sword tip darted towards her right eye, mere strands’ distance from her eyeball, the blade emitted a scorching heat, Ying Rushi felt as though her right eye was about to melt.