Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Chapter 37 The Tyrant Wants to Name My Son? You Don't Deserve It!

The 20th day of the first lunar month.

The news that Eunuch Li had been found was like a shot in the arm, greatly improving Shen Qingci's spirits.

Although he hasn't woken up yet and is still lying in the intensive care unit of the Imperial Hospital, the imperial physicians say he will need at least three to five months to get out of bed, and his martial arts skills are probably gone for good—but it's good that he's alive.

As long as you're alive, there's still hope.

That afternoon, Shen Qingci was leaning against the headboard breastfeeding Bao'er—she insisted on feeding her herself, without using a wet nurse.

Bao'er ate sweetly in her arms, sucking her little mouth and squinting her eyes contentedly.

Jinshu was sewing a small garment beside her, whispering as she sewed:

"Your Majesty, Commander Lu just delivered some more gifts, saying they were a reward from His Majesty."

There's bird's nest, ginseng, and pearl powder from the East China Sea... I've put them all into the storeroom.

For the past three days, Nangong Ye has been showering gifts upon Nangong Ye.

From food to daily necessities, from clothing to accessories, everything was sent to Tangli Palace in a continuous stream.

Its status was so high that it was comparable to that of an empress.

But Shen Qingci never touched it.

Blood bird's nest? For feeding dogs.

Ginseng? Throw it away.

Pearl powder? Given to the palace maids to use on their faces.

She would rather drink the ordinary medicine that Physician Chen secretly sent than touch anything that Nangong Ye had given her.

"If he sends it again in the future, just return it," Shen Qingci said calmly.

Jinshu hesitated: "But...but this was a gift from His Majesty, wouldn't it be...?"

"Then throw it away," Shen Qingci interrupted her. "Anyway, just don't let me see it."

Jinshu dared not say anything more and lowered her head to continue sewing.

Just then, footsteps came from outside the door.

The footsteps sounded very familiar—steady, powerful, and carrying the unique imperial aura.

Nangong Ye is here again.

This time, he didn't stand outside the door.

He just pushed the door open and came in.

Jinshu was so frightened that she immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty!"

Shen Qingci looked up and saw the bright yellow figure walk in, her brows immediately furrowing.

She didn't say anything, but simply hugged the baby in her arms tighter and continued breastfeeding.

Bao'er was engrossed in her food when her mother gave her a nudge, and she grumbled in dissatisfaction, but didn't stop eating.

Nangong Ye stood in the center of the room, watching this scene unfold.

Shen Qingci wore a plain white nightgown, her long hair loosely tied up, without any makeup, and her face still had the pallor of postpartum.

But even so, the way she held her child and bent down to breastfeed was so beautiful that it made his heart stop.

That was a beauty he had never seen before, a beauty that belonged to his mother.

Gentle, pure, and fragile enough to break your heart.

He stared at it for a long time.

Finally, Shen Qingci could no longer bear the silence and coldly asked, "What brings Your Majesty here?"

Nangong Ye then came to his senses.

He took a step forward and stopped three steps away from the bed—this was the closest he could get; any closer and she would get angry.

"The child..." he began, his voice a little hoarse, "Has a name been chosen yet?"

Shen Qingci paused.

She raised her head and looked at him, her eyes as if she were looking at a stranger: "Your Majesty need not trouble yourself."

"He is my son," Nangong Ye insisted. "According to the imperial genealogy, this generation belongs to the 'Yue' generation. How about Nangong Yue?"

He paused, then added, "'Yue' is an ancient divine pearl, symbolizing preciousness and light. I hope it..."

"What His Majesty desires for him is none of my concern," Shen Qingci interrupted him, her tone icy. "As for his name—he'll choose one himself when he grows up."

"Shen Qingci." Nangong Ye's voice deepened. "He is a prince and must be registered in the imperial genealogy, and must have a formal name. This is not something you can do as you please."

"Willful?" Shen Qingci laughed.

That smile was cold, as cold as icicles hanging from the eaves in the twelfth lunar month.

"Your Majesty now knows he is a prince? What about before?"

"When I was pregnant with him, why didn't His Majesty say he was a prince? Why didn't he say he would be named and recorded in the imperial genealogy?"

She looked at Nangong Ye's face, which froze instantly, and said, word by word:

"Why not say—he's not a bastard?"

The words "bastard" were like two poisoned daggers, piercing Nangong Ye's heart.

His face turned deathly pale instantly.

then……

When the witchcraft case came to light, Consort Rou tearfully recounted her story, and court officials offered their advice.

All the evidence points to Shen Qingci having an affair and using witchcraft to curse the king.

He was so enraged at the time that he did indeed... he did say that.

"If it is truly discovered that the child is an illegitimate one, I will personally deal with it."

Looking back now, every single word was evidence of a crime.

These are all irrefutable proof that he wronged her and hurt her.

"I..." He wanted to explain, to say that he had spoken in anger, to say that he had later sent people to investigate, but the evidence was conclusive...

But all her words seemed pale and laughable in the face of Shen Qingci's cold eyes.

"Your Majesty, please return." Shen Qingci lowered her head, no longer looking at him. "Bao'er has eaten her fill and should go to sleep."

She gently patted Bao'er's back, her movements tender, but her words were like knives:

"As for the name—if Your Majesty is truly interested, you should first consider how to deal with the real arsonist."

"What should we do with that person who tried to burn your son alive?"

Nangong Ye was startled.

He looked at Shen Qingci, at the child who was dozing in her arms, at the child's face that looked so much like his own...

In the end, he said nothing.

He slowly turned around and left.

His steps were a little unsteady.

---

Outside the door, Lu Zheng was waiting. When he saw Nangong Ye come out,

He immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Liu has submitted a memorial, pleading for Consort Rou."

"There must be a misunderstanding regarding the arson claim; Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly."

Nangong Ye stopped in his tracks, his gaze gradually turning cold.

"A misunderstanding?" he sneered. "Ten barrels of kerosene? Sulfur and saltpeter? The sealed temple gate? A misunderstanding?"

Lu Zheng lowered his head: "Prime Minister Liu said...it's possible that someone below acted on their own initiative, and Consort Rou was unaware of it."

"Unaware?" Nangong Ye looked up, glancing in the direction of Huayang Palace.

"Then why did Cuiyu from her palace confess? Why did Eunuch Liu confess?"

"Prime Minister Liu said... that the confession was obtained through torture."

"What a fine example of forced confession." Nangong Ye's voice was as cold as ice. "Then I'll show them what a real 'confession' is."

He turned to Lu Zheng: "Are Eunuch Liu and Cuiyu still alive?"

"Alive. Imprisoned at the lowest level of the dungeon, guarded day and night."

"Make them write statements."

Nangong Ye said,

Write in more detail.

Write down clearly in detail when the oil was spilled, who instructed it, and how it was planned.

"Finished writing, sign it."

"Yes." Lu Zheng paused, "What about Consort Rou..."

"Continue the confinement," Nangong Ye said. "Without my decree, not even a fly is allowed to fly out of Huayang Palace."

"Then... should Liu Xiangruo plead for mercy again?"

Nangong Ye remained silent for a moment.

Then he said, "Tell him that I am investigating. Once I have found out the truth, I will give him an explanation."

Lu Zheng understood.

His Majesty is... about to confront the Liu family.

For the sake of the empress and the young prince, His Majesty is finally going to take action against the Liu family.

"Also," Nangong Ye suddenly remembered something, "go check all the files from the witchcraft case back then. I want to review them again."

Lu Zheng was startled: "Your Majesty, this case is closed..."

"I say, investigate again."

Nangong Ye interrupted him, his eyes sharp.

"Bring out all the people who handled the case back then, all the evidence, all the witnesses and physical evidence—expose them all to me."

"I want to see who's behind this."

"Yes!" Lu Zheng replied solemnly.

Nangong Ye took one last look at the tightly closed doors of Tangli Palace, then turned and strode away.

The snow has started falling again.

Fine snowflakes landed on his shoulders and quickly melted into water.

It was icy cold.

Just like the way Shen Qingci looked at him.

---

inside the house.

Shen Qingci breathed a sigh of relief only after the footsteps outside faded into the distance.

She looked down at the baby in her arms.

The little one had already fallen asleep, but his little mouth was still sucking, occasionally smacking his lips, as if he was continuing to nurse in his dream.

"Nangong Yue..." she murmured the name.

玥。

Divine Pearl.

Precious light.

It's a good name.

But she didn't want it.

I don't want the name he chose.

I don't want anything he gives me.

"Baby," she gently stroked the child's face, "when you grow up, Mom will let you choose your own name. Choose a name... that belongs only to you."

Bao'er grinned in her sleep.

It's as if it's saying: "Okay, Mother."

Jinshu asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, are you really not going to name the little prince? What about His Majesty...?"

"Ignore him," Shen Qingci said calmly. "Let him take whatever he wants, we'll just call our own."

She paused, then said, "Let me know as soon as you have any news about Eunuch Li. I want to go see him when he wakes up."

"Yes." Jinshu nodded, then hesitated, "But the imperial physician said that Eunuch Li's injuries are too severe, and he might... might not wake up."

Shen Qingci's hand tightened.

But it loosened up again very quickly.

"He'll wake up," she said with certainty. "He promised me he'd watch over me and Bao'er as we leave this place. He won't break his promise."

Looking at the Empress's resolute eyes, Jinshu suddenly felt like crying.

Her Majesty has really... changed.

The empress of the past was gentle and kind, but always a little naive. The empress of today is as strong as a stone and as hard as iron, but she remains just as devoted to those she cares about.

"Your Majesty," Jinshu whispered, "Imperial Physician Chen just secretly sent a message saying that Imperial Physician Liu has been cracking down hard at the Imperial Hospital lately, and many medicinal herbs are difficult to take out. Our medicine... might run out."

Shen Qingci frowned.

Liu Yuanshi.

People from the Liu family.

It seems the Liu family is going to completely blacklist her.

"Tell Physician Chen not to take any risks for now," Shen Qingci said. "If the medicine is stopped, so be it. My health has improved a lot. Let him conserve his strength and avoid giving anyone a handle to use against him."

"But Your Majesty, your health..."

"I won't die." Shen Qingci sneered. "Even Consort Rou couldn't burn me to death, so what's a little illness?"

She looked down at Bao'er, her eyes softening:

"I want to watch Bao'er grow up."

"We also need to get him out of this godforsaken place."

"And...we must make those who harmed us pay the price."

Therefore, she cannot die.

Absolutely not.

Outside the window, the snow was falling heavier and heavier.

When will spring come?

she does not know.

But she knew that when spring came, she would take Bao'er to see the peach blossoms in Jiangnan, to see the grasslands in the north, and to see all the freedom that Nangong Ye could not give her.

As for that man...

Shen Qingci's eyes turned cold.

Let him continue to be a lonely figure in this magnificent cage of the palace.