chsdbacks Chapter 218 Kill her, and I'll grant your request.
Chapter 218 Kill her, and I'll grant your request.
Hongjie turned around and walked towards Zhao Qingxue again.
"It seems you still won't listen." Her voice carried a deliberate air of helplessness and regret. "Then we'll just have to continue."
She reached out, grabbed the rope, and pulled hard!
Zhao Qingxue's body was hoisted even higher, her arms were pulled even tighter, and a tearing pain came from her shoulder joints.
Her brows finally furrowed, her lips parted slightly, and she let out a suppressed, almost inaudible groan.
The sound was very soft, so soft that it was almost inaudible.
Yet, in the quiet private room, it was exceptionally clear.
Sister Hong heard it.
Qin Mu heard it too.
A satisfied smile appeared on Sister Hong's face.
"You're responding?" Her voice was smug. "I thought you were made of iron."
She pulled the rope again.
Zhao Qingxue's body rose again, and the pain in her shoulder joint became even more intense.
This time, she didn't make a sound.
But in those deep purple phoenix eyes, a crack finally appeared in the cold calm.
Something was churning inside the crack.
When Qin Mu saw the crack, his smile deepened.
He picked up his wine cup and took a small sip.
Hongjie continued to torment Zhao Qingxue.
She used various methods.
But Zhao Qingxue never begged for mercy.
She simply looked calmly at Sister Hong with her deep purple phoenix eyes.
That gaze remained unchanged from beginning to end.
It seems to be saying—
You can torment my body, but you can never conquer my heart.
After struggling for a long time, Sister Hong finally got tired.
She took a few steps back, panting, and plopped down in a chair, gasping for breath.
"That wretched maid..."
She muttered to herself, her eyes filled with resentment, "Why won't you just give in..."
Qin Mu put down his wine cup and slowly stood up.
He walked up to Zhao Qingxue and stopped.
Sunlight streamed in from behind him, casting a shadow over him and enveloping Zhao Qingxue entirely.
He looked at her.
Looking at that swollen, red face, at those still calm, deep purple phoenix eyes, at that slightly trembling body wrapped in a torn, moon-white robe.
Then extend your hand.
Long, slender fingers gently touched her cheek.
The touch was scalding hot, and though it was swollen from being hit, it was still as smooth and delicate as cream.
His fingers slowly traced her cheekbone, her face, and her chin.
The movements were slow and gentle, as if caressing a work of art that had finally begun to "soften".
Zhao Qingxue's body stiffened slightly.
She looked up at him.
A genuine emotion finally flickered in those deep purple phoenix eyes.
Seeing the emotion in her eyes, Qin Mu's smile deepened.
"Your Majesty," he said softly, his voice as gentle as if soothing a wounded kitten, "does it hurt?"
Zhao Qingxue looked at him.
He didn't speak.
However, the fluctuations in those deep purple phoenix eyes grew increasingly intense.
Qin Mu sighed softly.
The sigh was soft, yet it carried an indescribable sense of satisfaction and contentment.
"Take your time," he said.
"I have plenty of time."
He withdrew his hand, turned around, and walked back to his seat.
He leaned back in his chair, looking languid.
The sunlight outside the window gradually began to slant westward.
The afternoon hours passed silently.
Zhao Qingxue was hanging under the beam, and it was unknown how much time had passed.
Her arms had long been numb and she could no longer feel them, and the pain in her shoulder joints had gradually become dull.
Only the redness and swelling on my face still stung.
She lowered her head, her long hair falling loosely, covering most of her face.
Only those deep purple phoenix eyes, peering through the gaps in her hair, fell upon Sister Hong.
Sister Hong raised her hand—
The fifth slap is about to land.
Zhao Qingxue closed her eyes.
next moment,
"I do."
The three words were squeezed out of her throat, her voice hoarse and so soft that they were almost inaudible.
Sister Hong's hand hovered in mid-air, stunned.
Qin Mu's body, which was leaning back in his chair, stiffened slightly.
The private room fell into a deathly silence.
Sunlight streamed in obliquely through the window, falling on Zhao Qingxue.
The moon-white robe was already tattered and torn into strips that hung down, revealing the snow-white undergarment and the skin faintly visible beneath it.
Her long hair was loose, covering most of her face, leaving only her swollen, red eye exposed.
That eye was peering at Qin Mu through the gap in his hair.
In those deep purple pupils, the unwavering stubbornness that had persisted until finally cracked open.
Qin Mu slowly sat up straight.
His gaze fell on Zhao Qingxue's face, on her swollen red eyes, on the crack of despair in her eyes.
Then he spoke.
The voice was very soft and slow, uttering each word slowly and deliberately:
"What did you say?"
Zhao Qingxue took a deep breath.
The pain in her shoulder almost made her faint, but she still used all her strength to make her voice as clear as possible:
I said—
She paused, each word seeming to be forcibly dug out from the deepest part of her heart:
"I am willing to give myself."
"Exchange her life for hers."
Hongjie's pupils suddenly contracted at that moment.
She turned her head sharply to look at Qin Mu, her expression shifting from shock to bewilderment to disbelief in the blink of an eye.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty——"
Her voice trembled violently, each word sounding like it was being forced out of her throat:
"You...you wouldn't agree to that, would you...?"
Qin Mu did not look at her.
His gaze remained fixed on Zhao Qingxue.
The blow landed on that pale, swollen, yet still stubborn face.
It fell into those deep purple eyes that finally uttered the word "willing".
silence.
A long silence.
Then, Qin Mu smiled.
"Okay," he said.
Those two simple words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Sister Hong's ears!
Her legs buckled, and she collapsed to her knees with a thud.
"His Majesty!!"
Her voice was so shrill it almost tore her throat apart, and tears welled up instantly.
"You can't do this, Your Majesty! I'm utterly loyal to you! I'll do whatever you ask! You can't—"
"Shut up."
Qin Mu's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable authority.
Hongjie's voice stopped abruptly, leaving only a suppressed, almost inaudible sob.
She collapsed to her knees, trembling violently, her face ashen white.
Qin Mu looked at Zhao Qingxue again.
Lightly said:
"Sure, but..."
Zhao Qingxue's body stiffened slightly.
Qin Mu continued, his tone still gentle, yet carrying a chilling certainty:
"You're definitely not being sincere."
Zhao Qingxue's pupils contracted slightly.
Qin Mu looked at her and said, slowly and deliberately:
"I cannot kill her for the time being."
He paused, his gaze falling on Sister Hong before returning to Zhao Qingxue:
"most--"
A meaningful smile curved at the corners of his lips:
"I'll make you cripple a part of her body."
Sister Hong suddenly raised her head.
Those eyes were filled with extreme fear.
To disable a part of the body?
Her hands? Her feet? Her eyes? Her—
She dared not think any further.
Zhao Qingxue fell silent.
The private room fell into a deathly silence once again.
Only the faint sounds of commotion outside the window and Sister Hong's suppressed sobs could be heard.
The sunlight moved slowly, casting long shadows on the floor.
Zhao Qingxue's arms were already numb, and the pain in her shoulder joints almost made her faint.
But her mind was unusually clear at that moment.
Disable one of her body parts.
I didn't kill her.
This means—
Sister Hong will survive.
He will live on, carrying with him his hatred for her.
Qin Mu will have Hong Jie continue to "serve" her.
Continue to torment her, humiliate her, and retaliate against her in even more vicious ways.
This is not a blessing at all.
This is another trap set by Qin Mu.
This transformed Sister Hong from a mere tool into a tool imbued with deep-seated hatred.
This transformed her situation from one of humiliation to one of revenge.
This man...
Zhao Qingxue closed her eyes.
Countless images flashed through my mind.
There was the gentle smile of her mother as she placed the hairpin in her hair.
It evokes the boundless pride and joy felt when all the officials paid homage on the day of his ascension to the throne.
It had a glorious five-year period of purging the eight princes and dominating the Eastern Continent.
There are also those who, like today, are hung under a beam and slapped so hard by a vulgar woman that their faces are unrecognizable.
Those glorious moments are now a long, long time from her.
That dignity is being crushed bit by bit.
But what could she do?
Should we continue?
How long can we hold on?
Should we hold out until Sister Hong beats her to death?
Or should we hold out until Qin Mu resorts to even more ruthless methods?
She opened her eyes.
In those deep purple phoenix eyes, the crack of despair grew ever wider.
"Okay," she said.
The sound was very soft, yet it was exceptionally clear in the quiet private room.
Hongjie's body trembled violently.
Qin Mu raised an eyebrow slightly.
Zhao Qingxue continued, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth:
"The hand that hit me just now."
"Destroy it."
She paused, her gaze falling on Qin Mu's face:
"I'll stay with you for one night."
Qin Mu looked at her.
I watched it for a very long time.
So long that the sunlight outside the window moved an inch further, so long that Sister Hong's sobs grew weaker and weaker, so long that Zhao Qingxue felt she was about to give up—
He finally smiled.
The smile was bright and genuine, like that of a child who had finally received their beloved toy.
"Deal," he said.
Those two simple words were like an invisible blade, piercing Sister Hong's heart.
Hongjie's eyes widened, her pupils filled with extreme fear and despair.