Volume One, Chapter Three: Stealing the Empress's First Kiss

Xiao Ruoqing was filled with deep regret at this moment.

Had she known she would encounter a scoundrel like Fan Xiu, she would have rather died at the hands of those assassins.

Although she did not know the identities of the assassins, it was highly likely connected to the reforms she had implemented after ascending to power.

The Dayin Dynasty had long suffered from entrenched corruption: powerful families monopolized wealth, excessive taxes were levied, feudal lords held sway over territories, and border conflicts were frequent—truly a state beset by internal troubles and external threats.

Since her rise two years ago, she had boldly pursued reforms. Though the situation had somewhat improved, she had also made many enemies.

This trip to Xuzhou was supposed to be well-prepared, yet she still faced an assassination attempt.

The ferocity of the attack surely implicated the prominent Cheng family of Xuzhou’s aristocracy, and it was undoubtedly connected to officials within the imperial court.

Only those court ministers knew her exact whereabouts.

Even if she had been killed by those assassins, they would not dare to harm her body; to secure the establishment of a new ruler, they would bring her back to the capital for a grand funeral and inter her in the imperial tombs.

But now—

Her life was in jeopardy, her imperial body defiled, and after death, she might be discarded in the wilderness, left as prey for wild beasts.

Just the thought of it shattered Xiao Ruoqing with terror.

“Luckily…”

At that moment, she suddenly heard Fan Xiu’s voice.

“Though the injuries are quite severe, they aren’t deep, and there’s no foreign matter inside.”

A shiver ran through her heart.

What?

Fan Xiu’s earlier touching had not been ill-intentioned but an examination of her wounds?

Had she misunderstood him?

The next instant, she felt something poured onto her wound. What had been numb suddenly burned fiercely, causing her entire body to tremble uncontrollably.

She realized—it was alcohol!

Alcohol could cleanse wounds and prevent infection.

Such knowledge was scarce outside professional doctors; she hadn’t expected Fan Xiu to understand this.

Yet, Xiao Ruoqing wished she could faint.

The stinging alcohol on her wound felt as if it were being seared by flames, driving her nearly mad with pain.

She trembled a few times, then fell silent.

“Damn!” Fan Xiu suddenly exclaimed, “Don’t tell me you’re going to die on me! Hey! Don’t scare me!”

Then she felt his fingers beneath her nose.

“Not dead! Haha! This girl’s got a tough life!”

Hearing this, Xiao Ruoqing nearly fainted backward. The flicker of gratitude she had just felt toward Fan Xiu vanished instantly.

What kind of scoundrel had she encountered?

Heavens, just let me die!

She struggled to lose consciousness, but the more she tried, the clearer she became—she could even hear the wind whispering.

Perhaps it was the poison inside her; she couldn’t move.

Like a nightmare, she was fully aware but powerless over her body.

---

“Since you’re not dead, let’s keep going!”

Fan Xiu’s voice sounded again.

Soon after, Xiao Ruoqing felt her phoenix hairpin removed and some strands of hair pulled out.

“What is he up to now?” she wondered.

Moments later, she felt the skin near her wound pierced and stretched.

“Is he… sewing my wound? Using the needle from the phoenix hairpin and hair as thread? How could he know how? Is he a doctor?”

Thinking this, her anger gradually subsided.

Only the tugging pain from the wound remained torturous.

Fortunately, the process didn’t last long.

“All done!” Fan Xiu’s voice rang out. “My technique’s pretty good! For the last touch, let’s tie a butterfly knot here on this lucky charm! My little butterfly flies and flutters—perfect!”

Xiao Ruoqing was taken aback.

A butterfly knot?

On my wound?

Is he crazy?

But she was relieved that, although a scoundrel, he was faster in emergency treatment than the palace doctors.

If it had been palace physicians, they might still be debating the best approach.

Thinking that he wasn’t entirely bad and had saved her life, she grudgingly decided not to kill him, but to castrate him and keep him as the chief eunuch, promising him a lifetime of glory.

---

“Since I saved you, asking for some compensation isn’t too much, right?” Fan Xiu’s voice sounded again.

Xiao Ruoqing’s heart sank.

This scoundrel even wanted money?

Suddenly, she sensed a burning breath near her, then felt her lips being kissed.

In an instant, her mind went blank.

Only the scorching breath on her face remained.

A wild impulse to scream overtook her.

It was over!

Her purity was lost!

She was the supreme ruler, sovereign of all under heaven, and here in this rundown temple, some rogue she didn’t even know had stolen her first kiss!

Scoundrel!

You despicable wretch!

I will kill you!

First castrate, then kill, then chop you into pieces to feed the dogs, then castrate the dogs too!

Let me die!

---

I won’t live anymore!

Huh?

My eyes seem to move!

Fan Xiu sat up with a smug grin, savoring the lingering taste of the kiss.

Taking advantage of her unconsciousness to sneak a kiss—what’s the harm?

After all, she was unconscious and couldn’t pay medical fees, right?

Maybe when she wakes, she’ll be grateful enough to offer herself to him.

Although she had a bit of a temper, she was beautiful and shapely—a good candidate for a concubine.

Just then, Fan Xiu suddenly felt an icy chill run down his spine and shivered.

“Is the wind picking up?” he muttered, only to realize Xiao Ruoqing had already awakened and was glaring at him with eyes sharp as blades.

“Oh? You’re awake?” Fan Xiu was stunned, then excitedly said, “Is my medical skill really this amazing? Damn! I, Fan Xiu, must have a talent for medicine. I should’ve studied it from the start; I’d be a medical expert by now!”

Xiao Ruoqing continued to stare at him coldly, not even blinking.

Fan Xiu felt a chill in his heart.

Damn! She doesn’t know about the stolen kiss, right?

She can’t! She was unconscious.

Could it be... facial paralysis?

From what Fan Xiu knew, only people with facial paralysis kept their eyes open like that, looking fierce without blinking.

Thinking this, he asked with concern, “Blink for me? If you don’t, your eyes will dry out! I suspect you have facial paralysis!”

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