Chapter 735: Fairy Trap?

Zu'an couldn't help but sigh, marveling at how vibrant the cultivation world was with spiritual energy. Men and women in this world generally possessed a higher degree of beauty than those in his previous world.

Perhaps due to her past as a master, time had left no trace on the Empress. Her skin remained as fair and smooth as a maiden's, yet she exuded a mature grace beyond the reach of any innocent girl. Even through her clothes, he could sense her full and soft physique.

Remembering the Emperor's recent departure, Zu'an wondered if the man had cultivated himself into a eunuch. How else could such a mature and stunning beauty be left to her own devices in the deep palace?

His mood, however, was sour. He said coldly, "Did Your Majesty intentionally set a trap for me, hoping to use the Emperor to have me killed?"

The Empress had invited him to Kunning Palace that evening, yet the Emperor also happened to appear there. Given that the Emperor rarely visited this part of the palace, Zu'an found such a coincidence hard to believe.

The Empress sighed softly. "If I intended you harm, I wouldn't be here seeing you now," she said. "Truthfully, I don't know why His Majesty came here today."

Zu'an remained noncommittal, merely asking, "What do you want from me? Can you tell me now?"

The Empress glanced around. "Let's talk inside," she said. "It's too conspicuous out here."

Zu'an frowned, remaining still.

The Empress, with a hint of a smile, teased, "What, are you afraid I'll devour you inside?"

Zu'an snorted. Filled with a simmering rage, he strode directly inside, despite knowing she was provoking him. "I'd like to see what Your Majesty intends to use against me," he challenged.

Upon entering the palace, his nose detected the scent of precious sandalwood. Fearing poison, he subtly took out an antidote pill and swallowed it. Ji Xiaoxi had given him many medicines previously, but he had carelessly failed to use them during his last visit to the Hundred Flowers Palace.

Only after swallowing the antidote did Zu'an finally relax a little. He then surveyed his surroundings. "Why is it so dark?" he wondered aloud.

Kunning Palace was vast, but today, at least half the usual number of lamps were unlit.

The Empress approached, her long skirt trailing across the smooth floor, enhancing her regal and elegant demeanor. "What's the point of so many lights?" she mused. "They just make the place feel empty and uncomfortable."

Sensing her profound resentment from within the deep palace, Zu'an couldn't help but ask, "Why doesn't the Emperor visit Your Majesty more often? Is there some unspoken difficulty?"

The Empress chuckled. "You're quite bold," she said. "If those words reached the Emperor's ears, your life would likely be forfeit."

"I'm merely concerned about the Emperor's health," Zu'an replied indifferently.

The Empress was speechless.

"You truly are audacious, young man," the Empress said, scrutinizing him for a moment longer. "I know what you're thinking. I can assure you, the Emperor's health is perfectly fine."

Zu'an's expression turned peculiar as he meticulously observed the stunning woman before him. No man could remain unmoved by such beauty. If the Emperor was fine, then perhaps the Empress was the one with an issue?

Sensing his gaze, the Empress's face flushed slightly. "What are you thinking?" she asked. "The primary reason the Emperor hasn't stayed with his concubines for years is that his 'Five Decays of Heaven and Man' period is drawing near. To prolong his life, he began abstaining from women a long time ago."

Zu'an felt immediate relief. "So that's it," he said. "But if he can't even touch women, what joy is there, even if he's the most powerful man in the world?"

The Empress snorted. "That sounds like something only a young hothead would say," she scoffed. "The pleasure power brings is incomparable to anything else. Once you're in his position, you'll discover that many things are far more interesting than women."

Zu'an, however, didn't quite agree. He recalled his time as Emperor in the Yin Ruins secret realm, where he'd still found that particular "thing" the most interesting.

At that moment, the Empress's gaze fell upon the blood-stained clothes on his back. Her eyes lingered. She reached out, intending to touch his wound, but then hesitated, concerned her long golden finger guards might injure him. "Does it hurt?" she asked.

"It's fine," Zu'an replied calmly.

He had experienced far more painful injuries; this one barely registered. However, the psychological blow was profoundly heavy, prompting him to reflect on many of his past choices and actions.

The Empress walked to the side, half-crouching before a row of cabinets, her back resembling a ripe peach. Soon, she returned, carrying several bottles of medicine. "Take off your clothes," she instructed. "I'll apply some medicine to your wounds."

Zu'an was taken aback, frowning. "Isn't this inappropriate?" he questioned.

He instinctively glanced around, realizing that Eunuch Lu, who had been guarding nearby, was no longer present. Furthermore, since entering Kunning Palace, he hadn't seen a single eunuch or palace maid. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

The Empress wore an apologetic expression. "It's entirely my fault you were punished today," she said. "I feel truly sorry, which is why I wish to make amends."

Zu'an's expression was peculiar; he wondered what scheme the Empress was concocting.

Seeing his expression, the Empress chuckled. "What's wrong?" she teased. "The man who dared to disrespect the Crown Princess and even spank my bottom, why are you suddenly so bashful?"

Although she hadn't witnessed it herself, and others doubted the affair between him and the Crown Princess, her understanding of Zu'an led her to believe he was absolutely capable of such an act.

"Woman, you're playing with fire," Zu'an warned. He already harbored a hidden surge of desire, and her repeated provocations led him to simply remove his outer garment, revealing the wounds on his back. He was determined to see what this woman truly intended.

Seeing the man's virile and robust body, with its explosively powerful lines, even the remarkably mature Empress felt her heart quicken. "I never imagined," she murmured, "that you, who usually appear so refined and delicate, would possess such musculature."

Zu'an frowned. "What exactly do you need me to do, Your Majesty?" he pressed.

"No rush, we'll talk later," the Empress said with a faint smile. She lifted her skirt and sat behind him, then took some ointment with her fingers and gently applied it to his wounds. "Those dog-like servants were truly ruthless," she noted, "they held nothing back."

"The Emperor gave the order," Zu'an replied indifferently. "Who would dare to be negligent?"

This was a world of cultivation, and naturally, caning differed from what he knew in his previous life. The executioners were specialized cultivators, and the implements they used were engraved with special runic arrays that prevented the punished from using their qi to resist.

"Oh, I must say, youth truly is wonderful; your injuries are healing so quickly," the Empress mused. Her fingers gently brushed near the wounds on his back, and the astonishing warmth and resilience she felt made her eyes moisten. This was the virile aura of a young man, a sensation she seemed to have forgotten in all these years.

Zu'an also frowned. With the Empress seated so close behind him, he could even smell her body's natural fragrance.

Her fingers were smooth and soft, and her intermittent touches made the hidden fire in his heart grow increasingly uncontrollable.

Fearing things might escalate, he asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, are you trying to seduce me?"

The Empress chuckled. "I'm merely applying medicine to you," she replied.

Zu'an was speechless.

This was unbelievable. Shouldn't a normal consort's expression change dramatically, followed by an immediate retreat, upon hearing such direct words?

It would be strange if this woman wasn't up to something.

Yet she stubbornly refused to admit it verbally. Indeed, mature women's handling of relationships was far beyond what any inexperienced young girl could achieve.

Zu'an could no longer sit still and abruptly stood up. "Since Your Majesty has no other business," he stated, "I'll take my leave."

The Empress grabbed his hand. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Are you scared silly by the Crown Princess incident, afraid I'll also scheme to harm you?"

Zu'an sighed. "Isn't it?" he retorted. "Your Majesty's unusual behavior today gives me reason to suspect this is a carefully planned trap."

"'Fairy jump'?" The Empress was momentarily startled. Although she had never heard the term, she generally grasped its meaning. She then sighed softly, "I am a woman too."

Zu'an frowned deeply, waiting for her to continue.

The Empress sat on the couch, the usual majesty and sharp resolve in her brows replaced by a hint of fragility and sorrow. "The Emperor hasn't stayed here for at least ten years," she confided. "I understand he does it to prolong his life, but I am still in the prime of my life, and being alone in this cold, deep palace, I too feel lonely and desolate."

Zu'an's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't easily believe her. "Your Majesty," he said, "do you realize that what you're saying now is a crime punishable by the extermination of your entire family?"

The Empress slowly stood, taking a step forward to narrow the distance between them. Zu'an could clearly see her slightly trembling eyelashes and even feel the fresh scent of her breath.

Her pair of moist, alluring phoenix eyes gazed quietly at him. "If it were anyone else, I naturally wouldn't dare say these things," she murmured. "But you are different. I know you hold no respect for the Emperor, and you are the only man who dares to do certain things."