Chapter 13: Retribution for Showing Off

Chapter 13: The Retribution for Acting High and Mighty

Before long, several guards sitting close to the bonfire lowered their eyelids in sleep. Mu Lan walked back to the central tent unobservantly.

Dongling Jue was reading a book by the light of an oil lamp; during his stays away from the palace these past few days, he would occasionally indulge in such a pastime. Mu Lan ignored him, even going so far as to unroll a large bundle of gold, silver, and fine trinkets she had long prepared, no longer bothering to hide it.

"I didn't realize Princess Jin Ning placed such high value on these yellow and white things." Dongling Jue suddenly put down his book and looked toward her. "Throughout all history, the Princess is likely the first person to personally escort her own dowry."

Since the incident yesterday, he had not proactively spoken to her again. Now that he had opened his mouth, though his tone remained as indifferent as usual, it sounded sarcastic no matter how one listened.

Feeling guilty like a thief, the first thing Mu Lan thought upon hearing these words was whether he had discovered something. Her body couldn't help but tremble slightly, but fortunately, she remained relatively calm and quickly composed herself.

"Is this not all to coordinate with Your Majesty's itinerary? Since we are to return to the palace ahead of Your Majesty, these fine pieces of jewelry to maintain appearances must naturally be kept close at hand, lest we be mocked for the poverty of our Xia Liang Kingdom."

Her excuse was reasonably constructed. Dongling Jue curled his lips, but his dark eyes deepened slightly. "I see. I thought the Princess was planning to elope with someone."

A light sentence, yet it caused Mu Lan's heart to skip a beat instantly. Especially under the gaze of his sharp, phoenix-like eyes, she didn't dare meet his gaze, fearing he would see through her.

Was he suspecting and testing her? Or was it just an accidental barb?

However, Mu Lan knew well that she could not remain silent at a time like this. She hurriedly replied with a smile, "Your Majesty truly knows how to joke. This concubine has gone to great lengths to become your consort; how could I possibly flee?"

*Damn it, was that medicine useless against him? Why hasn't he fainted yet?*

"You certainly never tire of using this 'saying one thing while meaning another' routine." Dongling Jue narrowed his phoenix eyes and suddenly stood up to walk toward her.

Mu Lan's heart tightened. She suddenly remembered that in the forest last time, she had suffered greatly and been teased by him precisely because of this, and she instinctively stepped back in vigilance.

However, the space inside the tent was limited, and he still pressed up in front of her. Mu Lan instinctively hugged the bundle to her chest, using it as a barrier between them.

Leveraging his height advantage, Dongling Jue looked down at her. He looked upon her actions with disdain, and after a long moment, he said coldly, "I do not require you to be willing, but I also never permit betrayal. You had best remember that."

His voice was not loud—it could even be called sexy—but the words he spoke gave off a hair-raising sense of crisis. To Mu Lan, it felt more like a warning.

As if he already knew something.

*No, how could he possibly know? I've carried out this plan very carefully and discreetly.* Despite her heart thundering like a drum, Mu Lan maintained her outward calm. The path to freedom was right before her eyes; facing this sole opportunity, she would not be frightened away by a few words from him.

Forcing herself to meet his gaze calmly, Mu Lan was thinking of how to stall for time to eliminate his suspicion when Dongling Jue's expression suddenly darkened. He reached out and covered her nose and mouth. "Don't breathe!"

As he spoke, he instructed, "Stay here," before standing up to walk out. However, his footsteps were slightly unsteady, and his clear eyes narrowed with a hint of confusion.

The sedative in the food, combined with the smoke outside—this fellow was finally showing the reaction he deserved.

Mu Lan felt a surge of joy, but seeing that he actually still had the energy to go out and investigate, she instinctively grabbed the bundle in her hands and smashed it against the back of his head just to be safe.

The gold and silver jewelry inside provided enough weight; Dongling Jue didn't even groan before collapsing.

*Hmph, so what if you're the Emperor? So what if you don't permit betrayal? You were so arrogant just now, and yet here you are, falling into my hands just the same.*

Seeing him lying motionless on the ground, Mu Lan couldn't help but breathe a long sigh of relief, but immediately after, an inexplicable sense of unease rose in her heart.

Perhaps it was because everything was going too smoothly. Mu Lan comforted herself, but she still hurried forward to check his breathing. Fortunately, he was still breathing.

The big boss had been taken down; it was time for her to pack up and run. Mu Lan originally wanted to leave immediately, but looking at Dongling Jue lying on the ground, a streak of mischief rose within her.

Speaking of which, she still had a large debt to settle with him. If she really left just like this and never saw him again, wouldn't her losses be in vain?

Her eyes darted around, and Mu Lan suddenly flashed a wicked smile, recalling scenes from novels where the male lead or supporting character was stripped naked and humiliated by the female lead.

This Dongling Jue was so high and mighty; using such a classic, melodramatic method of revenge on him would be most appropriate.

*O lofty Emperor, when you wake up tomorrow morning, the guards of both Xia Liang and Western Chu will have the honor of admiring your imperial body—and an "enhanced" version at that. Tsk tsk, this is the retribution for acting so high and mighty.*

Mu Lan acted on impulse and stepped forward to strip his clothes. As the garments were peeled away, her gaze inadvertently caught a clear tooth mark on his shoulder. The scene of the night she transmigrated flashed through her mind, and her face flushed red.

*Was that me who bit him? The mark is so deep; it must have been quite painful back then.* Mu Lan suddenly felt a sense of balance.

In truth, it was also her bad luck to transmigrate into Jin Ning's body at that exact moment, and he happened to be under the influence of an aphrodisiac. All in all, it was more of a misunderstanding than a grudge.

So, if she gave him a harsh teasing, she should be able to let it go, right?

Thinking of how fiercely he had once treated her, Mu Lan could no longer afford to be shy. Gritting her teeth, she even stripped him down to his underwear before using his clothes to tie his hands and feet separately.

Come to think of it, Dongling Jue's body was truly easy on the eyes. His honey-colored skin was firm and smooth, and he had all the necessary muscles. Aside from a few scars of varying depths that looked like they were caused by sharp objects, there were almost no flaws to be found.

Of course, it would have been even more perfect if not for that "culprit" below that she tried her best not to look at directly. After experiencing such a terrifying night, Mu Lan felt an almost deep-seated hatred for this characteristic of male creatures, wishing she could just castrate him and be done with it.

However, seeing that handsome face that usually commanded awe and been feared, now lying quietly before her with eyes closed, limbs bound and completely naked, it was practically a picture of a wicked, seductive "uke," making it impossible to truly act ruthlessly.