So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

Xie Xun came over again that night.

Ning Yu was exhausted, but her mind was so clear that she couldn't fall asleep. Her eyelids drooped as she looked at the man who came out of the bathroom.

The palace was full of his people. Qinghe was placed in the outer hall by him and not allowed to have any contact with him. She had no one she could trust.

She turned over, ignoring him, and pretended to be asleep, closing her eyes.

Wearing only a pair of black silk trousers, Xie Xun lifted the gauze curtain and climbed onto the bed, pulling her into his arms and kissing her.

Ning Yu couldn't keep up the act any longer. This damned emperor didn't care whether you were asleep or not; if he wanted to, he could wake you up even if you were fast asleep.

She was trembling with anger, letting him kiss her while she kept her eyes closed and remained silent.

He suddenly bit her lip, and her subconscious groan allowed him to take advantage of the situation and penetrate her, entwining his lips and tongue in a kiss.

Xie Xun found her feigning death rather amusing, and by the dim moonlight, he gazed at her features and kissed her even more fiercely.

Ning Yu couldn't bear it and pushed him away. The thought of the child made her even more panicked. She didn't want to get pregnant, didn't want to have Xie Xun's child. That was a shackle, a chain, that was more terrifying than the chain around her ankles.

"It's late at night, let me rest for a while," she replied wearily.

Xie Xun could see the perfunctoriness in her eyes; she still hadn't learned her lesson.

"Still sleepy after sleeping all day?"

"I wasn't asleep, I was just feeling a little sleepy."

Xie Xun lay beside her, propping his head up as he looked at her. "The servants outside said you've been lying in bed all day."

She knew everything about him, and Ning Yu was incredibly annoyed. She coldly refused to look at him, saying, "Where else can I go if I'm not lying in bed with these chains on?"

Xie Xun heard her complaint and glanced sideways at the gold chain wrapped around the corner of the couch. "This was specially made for you by me."

Neuropathy.

His gentle hand brushed away the stray hairs by her ear, and he kissed her cheek, his voice husky, "Have you figured it out?"

What have you figured out? Should you obediently stay in the palace and follow him?

Ning Yu tried to turn over and face away from him, but her waist was held by his hand, and she couldn't move at all.

She didn't speak, and Xie Xun sneered inwardly, thinking, "If she doesn't listen, then lock her up."

He tightened his grip, and her soft body quickly nestled into his arms. He suppressed his burgeoning desire and leaned down to kiss her.

Ning Yu turned her face away and spoke, "I don't like these servants in the palace. I want Qinghe."

"What right does someone who doesn't obey have to make demands?" Xie Xun thought to himself, but said aloud, "That servant has impure thoughts and has corrupted you. If you don't like the servants sent here, we'll replace them with a new batch."

"---"

In return, she only gained his people. Ning Yu suddenly thought of someone, "I thought that girl named Xia Zhu was quite nice when we were at the other courtyard."

She could speak to him calmly and peacefully, without making him so angry that he threatened to kill himself. Xie Xun pulled her close to his chest, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Ning Yu was held tightly by him, but the moment he kissed her, she recoiled in disgust.

Looking into her eyes, Xie Xun grabbed her waist and pressed her down, saying in a cold voice, "You're already back in the palace. If you keep causing trouble like this, you'll be the one who suffers."

"Xie Xun, what have I done to wrong you? Why won't you let me go?"

In the dimly lit tent, her eyes held a hint of sorrow. Xie Xun was tired of hearing her say that, so he grabbed her waist and forced her to sit down.

"You deceived my feelings, played me for a fool, and you're just going to let you go like this? Do you think you can get away with this?"

He has feelings? What feelings? Forced her, compelled her to do everything according to his wishes? Ning Yu twisted her waist in refusal, her cheeks flushed with anger, but then she heard his shameless words.

"I wanted you, but I've let you go. Who else do I want?"

"So you're so shameless that you'd rather chain me up?"

"This is what happens when you disobey."

Ning Yu wanted to slap him. "If I said I was obedient, would you untie those chains? Do you believe me?"

He certainly wouldn't believe her nonsense; he wanted to see what she did. Xie Xun squinted, too lazy to waste words with her, and pinched her waist.

Ning Yu angrily punched him, but Xie Xun didn't care. He considered a couple of slaps on the bed as a bit of fun.

"Get away from me, don't touch me."

Would he really want to touch a woman who was unwilling? Xie Xun's eyes were bloodshot. He lifted her up with one hand, flipped her over, pressed her down, and grabbed her chin, lifting her up.

"From the moment I found you, you've been so cold and indifferent. You either threaten to kill yourself or act like I don't exist. Ning Yu, don't be reckless. If I don't let go, you'll be lying under me for the rest of your life."

"I've already treated you with more favors than anyone else. You keep saying you love me, yet you run off with your elder brother, and I haven't even held it against you. Tell me, what do you want? Do you want your elder brother?"

Ning Yu's eyes were filled with tears from the pain, and she retorted without thinking, "Yes, I don't want you. The Crown Prince is a thousand times better than you."

The prince is gentle and upright, and considerate of others. But he is capricious, ruthless, and capable of anything. He imprisoned her like a slave, binding her with shackles, and didn't treat her like a human being at all.

"I was once married to the Crown Prince. You can't hide it from everyone. I don't want to live under someone else's name. Please let me leave the palace. Otherwise, if things are exposed, your court and harem will be in chaos sooner or later."

Xie Xun had only one thought in his mind: she said her older brother was better than him, did she want her older brother?

The pressure on his hand unconsciously increased, and Ning Yu saw the terrifying look in his eyes by the moonlight, causing her heart to skip a beat.

"You will be buried with me even after you die."

"Hmm~"

The irrational outburst nearly killed Ning Yu throughout the entire night.

The two's struggle finally came to an end. Ning Yu was too exhausted to struggle anymore, and her voice became hoarse from crying. She lay there like a dead fish, letting him do as he pleased.

The next day, the palace maids serving at the palace gate heard arguing coming from the inner palace early in the morning. It was not yet time for court, and it was just dawn. Were His Majesty and his wife awake?

Seeing the maids' expressions of wanting to listen but not daring to, the head maid's face turned cold, and she coughed lightly.

Everyone immediately lowered their heads, not daring to listen any longer.

After an unknown amount of time, the woman's cursing and crying gradually subsided, and then a crisp, loud slap suddenly rang out.

You know, the soundproofing in this hall is very good. They could hear it even from outside the door. You can imagine how hard the slap was. His Majesty is too cruel. How could such a delicate lady withstand it?

There was silence inside for a while. Then the door opened, and the people with their heads down saw the man in black boots walk out. Even though they didn't dare to look up at his face, they could feel the oppressive and terrifying aura emanating from him.

No one else saw it, but the head maidservant, in the instant she knelt down, caught a glimpse of the striking red mark on the man's face out of the corner of her eye. She was horrified; she must have been mistaken.