The bright moon hangs high, beckoning him down from his pedestal.

After an unknown amount of time, the storm gradually subsided.

The heat within Shen Wangxi finally subsided, and her mind became completely clear.

He looked at the exhausted beauty, her fair body covered with the marks he had left behind, her little face still wet with tears, her sleep restless, her brows furrowed.

Shen Wangxi carefully hugged her tightly and placed a gentle kiss on her sweaty forehead.

"Sleep now," he whispered. "I will never betray you."

Shen Wangxi's gaze swept over the wound on her arm that had stopped bleeding, and then she remembered the scheming in Jiaofang Palace, her eyes turning completely cold.

What a fine example of Wulanyun!

Shen Wangxi only got up to change his clothes after Shen Qingruo fell asleep.

When he stepped out of the Taiji Hall, the night was already deep, and he headed towards the Jiaofang Hall.

Inside the palace, Wulan Yun learned that Liu Rusi had only been granted the title of Noble Lady and had not truly received the emperor's favor. She knew that her plan had failed and her pawns were useless.

She sat upright on the phoenix chair, barely maintaining her dignity, and did not even get up when she heard the announcement.

Shen Wangxi stepped into the hall, her gaze calm yet carrying an invisible pressure.

Ulan Yun spoke first, her voice deliberately calm, yet sharp:

"It's good that Your Majesty is alright. Judging from Your Majesty's expression, you must have just gotten off Consort Zhao's bed. The effects of the medicine must have worn off by now, right?"

Shen Wangxi found her appearance ridiculous.

Even now, she can still put on this attitude.

His voice was calm and even. "Wulan Yun, I am very curious, what makes you so fearless now, repeatedly challenging my bottom line?

Wu Lanyun looked up at him, trying to find the warmth of the past in his eyes, but only saw indifference.

She straightened her back and resorted to her usual excuse:

"On what grounds? Has Your Majesty forgotten? Forgotten the blood my Ulan clan shed for your Shen family's empire? Forgotten the kindness of my concubine who has followed you since youth, never abandoning you in times of crisis?"

"Are you done?" Shen Wangxi interrupted her, his tone still indifferent.

Wu Lanyun was speechless at his attitude, a chill rising in her heart, but she still forced herself to look up and meet his gaze.

Shen Wangxi stepped forward, looking down at her, and slowly asked, "Wulan Yun, do you think everything you're so proud of is rightfully yours and your family's? Is it something I owe you?"

Wu Lanyun pursed her lips, tacitly agreeing.

Shen Wangxi sneered: "The thought that I have spoiled you for so many years, spoiling you to the point that you don't know the difference between ruler and subject, and don't know what's good for you, makes me feel ridiculous and laughable."

His gaze was sharp, as if it could pierce through her feigned composure: "Have you forgotten how humble and submissive Wulan Yun was twenty years ago, how she looked up to and respected me and my brother?"

Wu Lanyun's face turned pale as that distant and vague memory surged into her mind.

At that time, how could she dare to show the slightest disrespect in front of him?

"Not going to speak?" Shen Wangxi had no intention of letting her off the hook, his voice icy: "Twenty years ago, the families that followed me in the desert, besides Ulan, included the Huyan and Han families."

"Back then, the eunuchs of the Great Liang Dynasty caused chaos, and the Five Stone Powder flowed into the desert, leading to defeat. Those who sacrificed were not only your father and brothers, but also three generals of the Huyan family who died on the battlefield, and the head of the Han family and the next generation of elites perished."

"Wulan Yun, do you still remember what you and the other two women said when you knelt before me and my brother?"

Wu Lanyun's eyes were glazed over, as if she had been pulled back to that painful moment twenty years ago.

Shen Wangxi repeated her words from years ago, each one deliberate and deliberate: "You said that the Shen family is the new ruler of the Great Desert Royal Court, bringing peace and light to the Great Desert."

"To die for the royal court is an honor for your father and brothers."

"You only hope that the royal court can forge ahead and lead all the people of the grasslands to a life where they have no worries about food and clothing."

"Did you say those words yourself?"

Ulan Yun's lips trembled; she could not refute.

Shen Wangxi continued, "Of the three great families, I ultimately chose the Wulan family and will marry you."

"It is only because the ancestors of the Ulan family were slaves of another tribe who were saved by my father and brothers. They swore to be loyal to me to the death and never had any disloyalty."

"But what about now?"

He stared at her, his gaze piercing: "You're taking advantage of my kindness, you're insatiable."

"I'm telling you clearly today, I don't owe your Ulan family anything."

"First, the ancestors of the Ulan family were originally dying slaves. Your father and brother's lives were given to you by my father. The Ulan family's later military power and influence were also bestowed upon them by my brother's trust. If it weren't for the Shen family, the Ulan family would have been wiped out long ago."

"Secondly, your father and brothers died for the country in battle, and they were posthumously honored, including your current position as Empress. I have already bestowed upon you the highest honors I can. I have a clear conscience."

"Thirdly, I am the ruler. There are many men in the world willing to die for me, and I will naturally provide for and honor their families. This is a transaction between ruler and subject, where each gets what they need."

"I have never lacked families willing to die for me."

"If it weren't for my father and brothers, the Ulan family would still be slaves. How could they have achieved their current glory?"

"The so-called kindness and righteousness you speak of would never stand if it weren't for my indulgence over the years."

"Ulan Yun, I'm telling you this one last time: I owe you nothing."

"In the past, I was willing to bestow double my favors. But if I am only willing to give you what you deserve, you cannot ask for even a little more."

Wu Lanyun stood frozen in place, her confidence, which had been the foundation of her life for many years, shattered by his words.

Shen Wangxi stopped looking at her and turned to leave.