The Empress's Fury

Zhang Qingyan thought he had done it flawlessly.

He wrote that assignment about Baijia Town in the official document with meticulous care.

But regarding the phrase "River God’s Bride,"

He didn't dare write a single word.

He had a very clear plan in mind.

We can keep this a secret for as long as possible. When my older brother comes back, he can clean up this mess himself.

Zhang Qingyan didn't want to be the one to tip off the emperor.

But he forgot one thing.

In the Great Liang Dynasty, the spies of the Pacification Investigation Office were everywhere, throughout the court and the countryside.

The empress sitting on the dragon throne always had ears longer than anyone else's.

On the fifth day after the memorial was submitted,

A secret report landed lightly on the emperor's desk.

The secret report was short, but every word was like a red-hot iron needle, piercing Xiao Zhaohuang's eyes.

[ In Baijia Town, Taian Prefecture, there lived a female sorceress surnamed Bai, who was over twenty years old.]

She claimed to have married the Azure Profound Immortal Venerable, wearing a bright red wedding dress, holding Shaman Priest's scepter, and receiving offerings from the entire town.

After investigating, Zhang Qingyan, the Thousand Commander of the Pacification Investigation Office, found that the temple had not been demolished, nor had he reported the matter to the authorities.

The Imperial Study was so quiet that one could hear the candle flames popping.

Xiao Zhaohuang stared at the secret report, his fingers tightening inch by inch, crumpling the thin paper into a ball.

She had been waiting.

After waiting for more than three months, I still haven't received a single reply from the Immortal.

She could still console herself that the Immortals had simply gone to play in the mortal world.

But now, the news she received was that the carefree Immortal had even married a bride by a river in Taian Prefecture.

"Good, very good."

Xiao Zhaohuang uttered these words slowly and deliberately, his voice frighteningly low.

"I've been waiting for his return here day and night, but he's already married a wife outside."

She had always thought that Immortals were pure and immaculate, beings who resided high in the clouds, untouched by the dust of the mortal world.

In her mind, Immortals should only care about the mountains and rivers, the world and the great Dao, and would never stop for any mortal woman.

But what about now?

First, there's that Myriad Flowers Fairy who claims to be Immortal and founded the Immortal-Worshipping Sect for Immortals; she still hasn't had time to deal with her.

Now, out of nowhere, a River God's bride has appeared.

A maid, a bride.

This Immortal's "romantic debts" are remembered one by one, clearly and meticulously.

She even suspected that the Immortal must have other women outside.

"Someone come here!"

Xiao Zhaohuang slammed the secret report onto the imperial desk, causing the candlelight to flicker.

"By imperial decree, prepare for the imperial procession to Taian Prefecture!"

A burning rage surged in her eyes:

"I will personally lead my army to raze Baijia Town to the ground! That shameless woman who dares to call herself the bride of the Immortal Venerable, I will personally tear her to pieces to vent my hatred!"

The eunuchs inside the hall were so frightened that they all knelt on the ground, none of them daring to utter a sound.

Just then, a calm female voice came from inside the hall.

"Your His Majesty, please reconsider."

Wang Yanan, the Commander of the Pacification Investigation Office, dressed in a black official robe, walked up to the imperial desk and bowed.

Xiao Zhaohuang looked at her coldly. "You want to stop me?"

"Your subject dares not."

Wang Yanan spoke calmly, yet every word was firm and resolute.

"However, I have no choice but to report this matter."

"According to the investigation by the Pacification Investigation Guard, the River God worshipped in Baijia Town is indeed the Azure Profound Immortal Venerable. The miraculous feat of slaying the river Demon Beast two years ago is supported by both witnesses and physical evidence, and is by no means a fabrication."

She paused, then looked up at the Empress:

"In other words, even if that Lady Baijia isn't the Immortal Venerable's true woman, she must have a very close relationship with Immortal Venerable. If His Majesty kills her in a fit of anger, what if he offends the Immortal Venerable...?"

The words were left unsaid, but the meaning was clear enough.

In the Imperial Study, the tense atmosphere of anger seemed to have been doused with cold water, and it slowly cooled down.

Xiao Zhaohuang stood there, his sleeves still bearing the lingering anger from before, but the murderous intent in his eyes gradually faded.

She could kill all the sorcerers in the land and demolish all the shrines in the court, but could she kill anyone associated with Immortals?

Cannot.

She didn't dare ask a single more question.

At that moment, Xiao Zhaohuang suddenly felt a powerlessness he had never experienced before.

She possessed a vast empire and could decide the life and death of everyone with a flick of her wrist, yet in this matter, she was utterly powerless.

Like a helpless wife who watches her husband philander and have affairs, she is trembling with anger but doesn't even have the courage to smash a teacup.

Because she was afraid.

She feared that if she made a scene, she might actually reach the Immortals' attention, Immortal would turn around, give her a cold look, and never come to the Capital again.

That feeling was more painful than killing her.

Xiao Zhaohuang slowly sat back down behind his desk, his chest heaving a few times before he swallowed back the bitter taste in his mouth.

I can't swallow it.

She then found another outlet for her anger.

Zhang Qingyan.

She suddenly spoke, her tone abruptly turning sharp.

"To know something but not report it is to deceive the emperor."

"Commander Wang, tell me, what should be the punishment for this?"

The hall fell silent.

This time, Wang Yanan did not try to persuade her again.

She simply stood there Jingjing with her eyes downcast, not uttering a single word.

Wang Yanan knew perfectly well that His Majesty would never actually harm Zhang Qingyan.

That kid Zhang Qingyan has a terrifyingly powerful background.

His father was the Minister of the Ministry of War and concurrently the Senior Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, second only to the Emperor in the imperial Grand Secretariat.

Standing behind him was once again the Azure Profound Immortal Venerable, who could overturn mountains and rivers with a mere wave of his hand.

On earth, I have Senior Grand Secretary minister father; in heaven, I have Immortal Venerable elder brother.

It's fair to say that in the entire Great Liang, there isn't a second person with a stronger backing than him.

As long as he doesn't rebel with a sword, he's like a crab in the Daliang Kingdom —unrestrained and fearless, and no one dares to provoke him.

Therefore, Wang Yanan did not offer any advice.

Because she knew even better that this charge of "deceiving the emperor" was merely a pretext for the empress to vent her anger; it was just empty talk.

Looking at the Commander before him, who was always impartial, ruthless, and cold-blooded, Xiao Zhaohuang suddenly felt a hint of mockery.

Wang Yanan.

She spoke slowly, her tone tinged with coldness.

"Aren't you afraid that I'll really kill your little lover?"

"..."

Wang Yanan, who had been as steady as a rock just moments before, suddenly raised her head.

" Your His Majesty!"

Her voice suddenly rose a fraction, and for the first time, a crack appeared in the unchanging calm on her face.

"Your Majesty, I have a completely innocent relationship with Thousand Commander, and there is absolutely no personal affair between us! I beg Your His Majesty to investigate thoroughly!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she seemed to realize her mistake and quickly bowed down, but the blush on her ears was impossible to hide.

Xiao Zhaohuang looked at her Jingjing.

She had only made a casual remark to test the waters, but little did she know that this test would yield such a shocking result.

When had Wang Yanan, the Commander of the Pacification Investigation Office, ever been so flustered, a man who was usually decisive and ruthless?

The more desperately they deny it, the more obvious it is that they're trying to cover something up.

Xiao Zhaohuang's suspicions were now completely confirmed.

Suddenly, she felt an even tightness in her chest.

On her side, she was longing for an Immortal so much that she could hardly contain her desire, even after he had a bride, she could only grit her teeth and endure it.

Turning her head, she saw her two subordinates lying right under her nose, harboring an inexplicable and ambiguous relationship.

What's this?

It's like she's starving, but someone serves her a steaming bowl of food right in front of her and eats it with gusto.

"Alright."

Xiao Zhaohuang turned his face away, too lazy to look at her anymore, his voice carrying an indescribable weariness.

"Step down."

"Zhang Qingyan is no longer fit to stay in the Pacification Investigation Office; he should be kicked out."

Wang Yanan bowed in agreement, and when she retreated to the palace entrance, her steps were even a fraction faster than when she had come.

The Imperial Study returned to silence.

Xiao Zhaohuang sat alone behind his desk, staring at the crumpled secret report, remaining motionless for a long time.

After a long while, she raised her hand, smoothed out the secret report little by little, folded it again, and put it into her sleeve.

She muttered something to herself, her voice so soft that only she could hear it:

"Immortal... just how many things are you hiding from me?"