Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 375 The Unfathomable Old Emperor! The Gentle Paradise of Lin Qinghan
Inside the deep palace hall, the luminous pearl illuminated the entire hall as if it were daytime.

On the dragon throne covered with ferret fur, Yu Dongji, the emperor who had ruled the Great Yu Kingdom for more than thirty years, had his eyes half-closed.

Time has etched deep lines on his face, and his frosty white hair contrasts sharply with his bright yellow dragon robe.

"Your Majesty~" A soft, seductive voice rang out from the left side of the dragon throne.

Lin Qinghan, dressed in a light and sheer pink palace gown, clung to Emperor Yu Dongji like a dodder vine.

Her slender, jade-like fingers lightly brushed against the old emperor's withered arm, her alluring curves appearing and disappearing beneath the thin veil with each movement.

"I haven't been able to sleep these past few nights..."

She parted her lips slightly, her breath sweet as orchids, "Every time I close my eyes, I dream of those horrible people..."

"Please don't leave me!"

As she spoke, Lin Qinghan's delicate body trembled slightly, and she pressed her proud... breasts against Yu Dongji's right arm at just the right moment.

Yu Dongji's age-spotted hands slowly caressed the beauty's fragrant shoulders, a glint of light flashing in his cloudy eyes.

Thirty years as an emperor made him more aware than anyone of the treacherous underbelly of this seemingly idyllic world.

But at this moment, Yu Dongji would rather immerse himself in this intoxicating fragrance and feel the beauty of the world.

“My beloved concubine, do not be afraid…” Yu Dongji’s voice was hoarse as if it were grinding: “With me here, no one can hurt you.”

After saying that, he twirled Lin Qinghan's cascading black hair around his fingertips and took a deep breath.

The rich, alluring fragrance jolted Yu Dongji out of his dazed state.

The special, alluring fragrance hidden in the beauty's hair was seeping into his decaying lungs with every breath.

"His Majesty.….."

Lin Qinghan's eyes sparkled, and she lightly bit her lip, revealing a perfect glimpse of her snow-white neck.

She knew the value of her appearance, and Lin Qinghan did everything she could to please the old emperor.

Immediately afterwards, the old emperor Yu Dongji's rough palms traced the exquisite curves of Lin Qinghan's body, and a look of infatuation appeared in his cloudy eyes.

In recent days, in order to properly savor this peerless beauty, he dismissed three censors who had offered their advice.

For this reason, Yu Dongji even postponed the morning court seven times, just to indulge in the gentle embrace of Lin Qinghan and enjoy pleasures that ordinary people could not imagine.

Lin Qinghan, this gentle beauty, is truly "sensible." Whether it's playing the zither, painting, or subtly flattering each other in bed, she handles everything perfectly.

Just like now, she is using her soft, boneless hands to massage her temples.

The subtle techniques hidden in his fingertips made the aging Yu Dongji moan with pleasure.

"My beloved concubine is truly my darling..." Yu Dongji breathed heavily with pleasure, but he didn't see the cold glint that flashed in the eyes of the beauty beside him.

Lin Qinghan's long eyelashes trembled slightly, casting a fragile shadow in the candlelight.

She turned her face slightly to the side, letting a perfectly timed tear linger on her cheek, poised to fall.

"Your Majesty..." Her voice trembled slightly, like willow catkins in the wind, "I fear... my days are numbered..."

"I can no longer serve Your Majesty..."

Yu Dongji noticed the beauty in his arms trembling slightly, and immediately opened his eyes, holding her even tighter with his withered arms.

This aging emperor, for once, showed a rare hint of urgency: "My beloved concubine, what's wrong?"

He quickly raised one hand and used his rough thumb to wipe away the non-existent tear stains from the corner of Lin Qinghan's eye.

Yu Dongji's voice, though sounding very old, was unusually gentle.

Lin Qinghan let out a timely sob, burying her face in Yu Dongji's chest, her voice muffled as she said, "This concubine... this concubine dares not speak..."

"Say!"

Yu Dongji suddenly roared, and an invisible force shook the candlelight in the hall, causing it to flicker.

His withered, claw-like hand lifted the beauty's chin, and a terrifying glint flashed in his murky eyes: "I want to see which blind fool dares to wrong my beloved concubine!"

Lin Qinghan seemed startled and flinched slightly, but just in time, the light gauze slipped down, revealing half of her snow-white shoulder.

With tears welling in her eyes, she said softly, "It's...it's Chief Supervisor Lu of the Eastern Depot...He...He warned me before that I would bring disaster to Your Majesty."

The moment the words "Lord Lu" were uttered!
Yu Dongji's fierce killing intent suddenly vanished, and his turbid eyes instantly became clear as a pool.

The emperor, who had ruled the Great Yu for more than thirty years, tapped the dragon table in front of him rhythmically with his fingers, producing a dull "tap-tap" sound.

"The Supervisor of the East Factory?"

Yu Dongji chuckled softly, his voice carrying a knowing and playful tone.

His thin fingers lifted Lin Qinghan's chin, the force not strong but enough to prevent her from escaping: "My beloved concubine... don't be afraid, I will deal with him sooner or later."

Lin Qinghan's heart trembled violently, but then she saw Yu Dongji suddenly lean closer and whisper in her ear, "That old dog from the Eastern Depot, even if he had ten times the courage..."

His warm breath brushed against her ear, but the words he spoke sent chills down Lin Qinghan's spine: "You wouldn't dare touch the person beside my bed."

He slowly straightened up, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "However—" he changed the subject, "Since my beloved concubine wants to see him die..."

Yu Dongji stroked the beauty's hair with his aged hand, "I will certainly grant your wish."

"But not now. I'm still quite comfortable using that old dog, so I can't kill him yet."

The bright pearl in the hall suddenly illuminated the ambiguous smile on the face of the old emperor, Yu Dongji.

Yu Dongji continued to lean on the dragon throne, gently stroking Lin Qinghan's stunned face with one hand, his eyes gleaming with unfathomable light.

This aging emperor's indulgence of the Eastern Depot was never due to his incompetence.

Three days ago, when the Eastern Depot's henchmen were wreaking havoc in the capital, the Grand Secretary knelt outside the palace and tearfully submitted a memorial, while the ministers of the six ministries jointly petitioned for his life.

Yu Dongji didn't even give them a chance to meet the emperor, only saying lightly, "I'm old and can't bear to see blood. Let them make a scene."

This is not foolishness, but a grand strategy.

"The Eastern Depot..."

Yu Dongji gazed outside the hall, a cold smile slowly creeping onto his lips.

He needed the Eastern Depot to be a sharp and hateful weapon.

When this sword is stained with blood, when the resentment of the entire court reaches its peak—

"That is the time for me to... close the net."

Yu Dongji looked down at the dejected beauty in his arms, his thin fingers gently stroking her snowy neck.

Everything that happened in the Great Yu Kingdom was under the control of this emperor.

Even this delicate beauty is nothing more than a tool to please himself.

Yu Dongji scooped Lin Qinghan up in his arms, his desire aroused once again by this stunning beauty.

"However, apart from that old dog, the head of the Eastern Depot, I will grant you any wish as long as you ask!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qinghan's previously dim eyes suddenly lit up, as if a dying ember had been rekindled.

Her slender fingers gripped tightly the sleeve of Yu Dongji's dragon robe.

"Your Majesty..." Lin Qinghan's voice trembled slightly, carrying a genuine, suppressed sob.

The image of Cao Yi's repulsive face flashed through her mind; that eunuch dared to use the guise of "guarding" in the carriage to commit lewd acts.

Inside the carriage, his withered arms held her captive, his pale face and the way he buried his face in her neck, greedily sniffing her, still make her stomach cramp when she thinks about it.

"This concubine..." Lin Qinghan found it difficult to speak, and tears slid down her cheeks at just the right moment.

"On the way to the palace that day, the people from the Eastern Depot leading the team..." Lin Qinghan suddenly stopped speaking at this point, biting her lower lip lightly.

This gesture evokes a man's protective instincts more effectively than any words.

"The eyes of that Eastern Depot leader... were glued to me every moment..."

At this point, Lin Qinghan suddenly shivered and snuggled closer to Yu Dongji.

Lin Qinghan was very clever; she knew better than anyone that what a man feared most was his woman being touched by another. Even just being touched was considered a defilement in the eyes of this emperor.

Therefore, Lin Qinghan deliberately left the facts on the edge of ambiguity—letting the old emperor imagine for himself, while leaving room for interpretation.

"If I hadn't mentioned His Majesty..."

Yu Dongji's face was indeed terribly gloomy.

"That damned bastard Cao Yi, did he touch you, my beloved concubine...?"

"His Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qinghan promptly displayed an expression of utter shame and indignation, "I would rather bite my tongue and die than let that filthy wretch..."

This approach both preserved her "innocence" and fueled hatred.

As expected, Yu Dongji calmed her down with gentle words, but the killing intent in his eyes had already solidified into a tangible form.

He can tolerate the competition between pieces, but he will never allow pieces to overstep their bounds.

Especially things that belong to him.

Yu Dongji's withered hand stroked the beauty's neck, and he suddenly chuckled: "My beloved consort, how do you want to see him die? Slowly sliced ​​to death? Or... a human pig?"

Of course, Yu Dongji's questioning was just a formality.

The wrath of an emperor never requires consulting anyone else.

"Somebody come!"

Yu Dongji suddenly roared, his voice so loud that the scabbards of the guards outside the hall clanged.

His withered fingers tapped rapidly on the dragon table, while a strange smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"By imperial decree, summon Cao Yi of the Eastern Depot to the palace immediately."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Dongji lowered his head again, stroking Zhao Qinghan's hair, and continued, "Just say... I'm very satisfied. He has rendered meritorious service in escorting my beloved concubine, and he should be rewarded handsomely..."

Upon hearing this, the chief eunuch outside the hall trembled, and the whisk in his hand almost fell to the ground.

Having served His Majesty for over thirty years, he knew all too well the meaning of the words "generous reward".

The last time His Majesty said he would "reward" the Minister of War, the very next day that man and his entire family were imprisoned.

Lin Qinghan obediently rested on Yu Dongji's lap, her alluring lips curving slightly upwards when no one was around.

Yu Dongji suddenly leaned down and gently pinched Lin Qinghan's delicate chin with his fingers.

His cloudy eyes now gleamed with a sickly light, and his breathing became heavy.

"My beauty..."

Yu Dongji's voice was terribly hoarse, carrying a chilling gentleness, "Don't let these useless pieces of trash interfere with us..."

As he spoke, he ran his fingers down Lin Qinghan's snowy neck, lingering at her collarbone: "The most important thing now is..."

Unbeknownst to anyone, Yu Dongji's other hand had already reached for Zhao Qinghan's sash. "I must first properly...reward my beloved concubine..."

A series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall, but they could not drown out the rustling sound of the dragon robe falling to the ground inside.

Zhao Qinghan obediently closed her eyes, letting the old emperor's body press down on her.

Inside the main hall of the Eastern Depot, thirteen figures knelt on the ground, straight as javelins.

The intense sunlight streamed through the carved window lattices, cutting sharp shadows across the floor, but it couldn't dispel the chilling atmosphere inside the hall.

"Dedicated father!"

Kneeling at the end of the line, Cao Shiqiang endured the excruciating pain and said, "Your son has discovered the secret treasure of Mingfo Temple..."

Cao Shi knelt at the end of the hall, his thin, hunched body completely drained of color from his weasel-faced features.

His right hand, which he usually used to administer poison, was now hanging limply, his forearm unnaturally twisted.

This treacherous man, who usually excelled at ambushing with poisoned hidden weapons, was now trembling like a stray dog.

Beads of sweat, the size of soybeans, rolled down Cao Shi's sparse eyebrows.

With each breath he took, the broken ribs pierced his lungs with excruciating pain.

"The temple houses... a divine object..."

Cao Shi gasped after every few words: "According to the confession of the little monk I captured... this lotus shines brightly in the daytime, and its fragrance can revive flesh and bones..."

He was about to continue his report when he suddenly coughed violently, spitting out blood and foul-smelling liquid.

Cao Shi originally thought that with his lightness skills and poison techniques, infiltrating Mingfo Temple would be a piece of cake.

Who would have thought that as soon as they climbed over the courtyard wall, they would be trapped in the Eighteen Arhats Formation.

Those bald monks' demon-subduing staff techniques nearly displaced his internal organs.

"Amitabha, please return, benefactor."

The thought of the kind-faced old monk made Cao Shi grit his teeth in hatred.

Those bald monks could have easily killed him, but they insisted on putting on a show of compassion.

Ha. Not killing?
This will be their most regrettable decision!
Cao Shi was already plotting what kind of poison to put in the temple's well to best vent his anger.

Is it the "Soul-Severing Powder" that causes intestinal perforation and rot?
Or is it a "bone-rotting plaster" with festering sores all over its body?
It would be best to torture those bald monks until they wish they were dead.
Thinking of this, a morbid pleasure appeared on Cao Shi's distorted face.

Buddhism forbids killing? Perfect, let him have his fun...

However, Cao Shi can only rely on his adoptive father to realize this wish.

The all-powerful head of the Eastern Depot!

Lu Xuan, sitting upright in the main seat, slightly raised his eyes, his gaze as cold as a deep pool, piercing straight into Cao Shi's heart.

"What you're saying... you'd better be telling the truth!"

Despite the blazing sun shining brightly inside the hall, Cao Shi felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

His adoptive father's gaze was far more terrifying than those damned demon-subduing staffs of Mingfo Temple.

"I swear to Heaven!"

Ignoring the pain of his broken bones, Cao Shi suddenly banged his head on the ground: "If I have uttered a single falsehood, I am willing to suffer the torture of having my heart devoured by ten thousand poisons!"

He knew all too well the consequences of deceiving his godfather.

Those "liars" in the East Depot's dungeon are now dried meat hanging in the torture chamber.

Revenge is important, but compared to angering my adoptive father...

"Take the Eastern Depot and all the troops in the capital and set off from Fafo Temple."

Until a cold voice came from above, Cao Shi felt as if he had been granted a pardon and scrambled out of the hall.

"Yes! Foster father!"

At this moment, a commotion suddenly arose outside the hall, and several figures in bright red robes strode in.

The gold medals hanging from their waists were so bright in the sunlight that it was hard to open one's eyes.

The head eunuch flicked his whisk, and the Eastern Depot agents all retreated.

Who doesn't recognize these high-ranking eunuchs who serve the emperor?
"The Holy Lord's oral order—"

The shrill voice pierced the somber atmosphere in the hall.

The chief eunuch looked down at the twelve bodyguards kneeling on the ground, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Where is Commander Cao, the Thousand-Household Commander?"

"His Majesty, mindful of your merit in escorting Consort Lin, has specially granted you... an audience to receive your reward."

Upon hearing this, Cao Yi was overjoyed: "Your subject... accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude."

After saying that, he glanced at Lu Xuan in the main seat, only to see his godfather leisurely sipping tea without even lifting his eyelids.

(End of this chapter)