Chapter 113: The Greatest Traitor Under Heaven

“Princess Changle has arrived~~~~~!”

Suddenly, a eunuch announced that Princess Changle had come uninvited.

Hearing the news, Emperor Liu Xie’s expression softened considerably.

Princess Changle was his most beloved daughter, the apple of his eye.

Whenever he thought of how he had struggled to endure the joyless duties of being the Han Emperor, at least he could shield his daughter from harm, and that made his life worthwhile.

“Your servant pays respects to the Father Emperor.”

Princess Changle stood gracefully at the foot of the imperial steps and bowed with measured elegance.

Every gesture and smile was like the most exquisite work of art in the world.

Noble, elegant, refined.

Liu Xie gazed at his finest ‘creation’ with pride swelling in his chest.

“Hurry, quickly grant the princess a seat,” Liu Xie snapped back to reality and hurriedly gave the order.

Princess Changle turned smoothly, her delicate steps leading her over to stand beside Fan Li, who was still dazed.

What was going on?

Why had she come?

Fan Li’s head was filled with question marks, but before he could react, the princess had already taken a seat beside him.

The Weiyang Palace was spacious and vast.

Yet the princess squeezed herself onto the same mat with Fan Li.

“Hey, it’s a bit cramped,” Fan Li whispered.

“I don’t mind,” Princess Changle replied in a softer, more alluring voice. “Could it be that you disdain me?”

Fan Li raised an eyebrow.

In front of Emperor Liu Xie, and with countless eunuchs, palace maids, and guards in Weiyang Palace—

What exactly was Princess Changle trying to do?

If she wanted to cause trouble, fine, but could she not involve him in it?

Still, since Princess Changle was ‘one of their own,’ Fan Li dared not offend her and endured silently.

“You… you two…!?”

Liu Xie was shocked, dumbfounded!

His first thought was that his proud eldest daughter, his beloved, could possibly be involved with the treacherous Fan Li of Chu?

But he quickly dismissed the thought.

Impossible!

My daughter, the pearl of Han, the pure disciple of the Sacred Land, the Queen of Chu!

How could she engage in such disrespectful and shameless behavior?

It had to be Fan Li, abusing his power in Chu, bullying Emperor Xiang Ning was not enough, he even dared to take advantage of my Changle!?

“How foolish I am!”

“How could I have never realized? If Xiang Ning cannot even protect himself, how could he protect my Changle?”

“That damned Fan Li!”

“Desire is a double-edged sword; I wish him torn apart by a thousand blades!”

Liu Xie raged in his mind, lost in wild speculation, oblivious to Princess Changle’s subtle movements.

Princess Changle sat closely beside Fan Li, her actions already ambiguous.

She even extended her slender hand, hidden from Liu Xie’s view, and boldly traced over Fan Li’s upper body.

“Hey? What are you touching me for?” Fan Li jumped in surprise.

The sensation was soft and pleasant, but Weiyang Palace was hardly a place for such indulgence.

Moreover, in front of Changle’s father?

This woman was playing a dangerous game.

As Fan Li’s mind raced, he suddenly felt something light being taken from his embrace!

“Oh no!” he thought in alarm.

Fan Li carried a palm-sized wooden box with him.

It was a spiritual treasure box gifted by the Cloud Embroidery Workshop, capable of changing size, specially designed to store the Purple Ribbon Robe.

He had been careless—Princess Changle had stolen it!

“Give it back! It’s very expensive!” Fan Li grasped the princess’s delicate jade hand, wincing.

“How dare you! What are you doing!?”

From the imperial throne, Emperor Liu Xie did not see Changle’s stealthy act but saw Fan Li brazenly grabbing his precious daughter!

What nerve, Fan Li!

He truly dared to lay hands on my Changle!

In front of me, no less!

Hearing the furious roar, Fan Li instinctively released his grip.

But he immediately regretted it.

Princess Changle was slippery as an eel, successfully pulling her hand away, then adopting the facade of a fragile, wronged victim.

Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at Fan Li, then raised her gaze to the Han Emperor on the throne.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I heard the Purple Ribbon Robe was sold, and I guessed it was you.”

“Such a precious treasure, only you and Dong Zhuo could afford it in Chang’an.”

“I really like the Purple Ribbon Robe. Please, Duke Jin, gift it to me?”

“Hehehehe!”

Princess Changle’s soft and enchanting voice was audible only to Fan Li.

“Gift it? Not a chance!”

“Do you know how expensive it is?”

Fan Li whispered in protest.

Princess Changle flicked a glance at him from the corner of her eye, then suddenly rose and briskly moved to the center of the imperial steps, dropping to her knees with a ‘plop’.

“Ah? Changle, what’s wrong?”

Liu Xie hurriedly stood, his heart aching, not caring to question Fan Li.

Before she spoke, a few tears slipped from the princess’s eyes.

They fell, splattering on the steps in tiny shards.

At this moment, Emperor Liu Xie’s heart seemed to shatter as well.

Fuming, he straightened his back and declared, “Changle, do not cry. Your father will take care of everything! As the Son of Heaven of the Han, I will stand by you!”

“Wuwuwu…”

After his words, the princess’s sobbing grew even more sorrowful.

“Please, Father, dismiss all attendants… but keep Fan Li.”

“Hiss!?”

Liu Xie drew a sharp breath, his anger subsiding slightly, his gaze toward Fan Li losing its earlier ferocity but growing more suspicious.

From his daughter’s tone, it seemed she and Fan Li truly had something going on!

Since ancient times, palace secrets were far more thrilling than the streets.

Could it be that the daughter and Fan Li—

“Everyone, withdraw at once!”

Liu Xie commanded, and all palace maids, eunuchs, and guards on duty in Weiyang Palace left.

“My dear daughter, take your time to speak,” Liu Xie soothed softly.

“Yes.”

Princess Changle’s eyes brimmed with tears, softening any heart who saw.

Fan Li also grew restless.

He had a faint premonition: stealing the Purple Ribbon Robe was minor—this woman had more mischief yet to reveal.

“Your Majesty…”

“Your daughter has inadvertently conceived Fan Li’s child.”

The words fell, and the world seemed to hold its breath.

Not a sound in Weiyang Palace but the falling of a needle.

Emperor Liu Xie stared, dumbfounded!

Duke Jin of Chu was stunned!

Only Princess Changle, unwilling to be ignored, sobbed lightly again, fueling the tension.

“That scoundrel! How much more detestable than Dong Zhuo!”

“Dong Zhuo only controlled the government and undermined imperial authority!”

“But Fan Li dared to defile the imperial harem?”

“Ah!!!! I will kill him!!!!”

Within Liu Xie’s heart, a tempest raged. He nearly drew the Qin Emperor’s Sword to strike down Fan Li, who was only at the Qi Refining stage.

But then he remembered his daughter was carrying Fan Li’s child.

If he killed Fan Li, his unborn grandson would become a helpless orphan.

Trembling all over, Liu Xie suppressed his murderous intent.

His cloudy, aged eyes brimmed with tears.

“Shameless villain, you truly are the greatest traitor under heaven…”

He turned his gaze to Fan Li, his eyes seeming to speak.

“Ding!”

“Detection complete. Host has gained Emperor Liu Xie’s high ‘approval’!”

“Congratulations, host, for successfully completing the mission: ‘Greatest Traitor of the Han.’”

“Host rewarded with the item: ‘Emperor’s Underwear.’”

Fan Li’s face was a question mark.

Huh?

What just happened?

(The End of this chapter)