Chapter 299: Chapter 296: The Devil

And so, He Ying issued a secret decree to Xuanrao–Jiang Duan must rewrite the content of that book.

As for how to rewrite it, it would depend on his enlightenment.

Xuanrao was indeed enlightened and immediately went to find Jiang Duan, saying, “If you still want to live to marry me, then write as I tell you.”

Jiang Duan was troubled, “As a literary man, I must write something meaningful.”

Xuanrao nodded, “Don’t worry. Their story is very exciting and full of twists and turns; you won’t lack material to write about.”

Jiang Duan: “…”

That wasn’t what he meant!

Xuanrao was very efficient.

That very day, she prepared paper, ink, brush, and inkstone, and confined the man to the study to write the book.

She dictated, “The story should begin with Tang Yan entering the palace…”

Tang Yan was the heroine in the story.

She was also a metaphor for Sang Yan.

Sang Yan saw the “Dahe Record of Splendor” four days later.

This book changed Tang Yan’s character from a femme fatale into a beautiful, kind, and extremely intelligent woman.

She entered the palace to compete for favor on behalf of her sister, and unintentionally caught the Emperor’s eye. Amidst her repeated rejections, she ended up falling in love with him.

The Emperor abandoned the harem for her.

So, she suggested releasing the concubines from the palace, allowing them freedom to marry, including You Ruo.

You Ruo was an abandoned concubine from the Cold Palace, saved by Tang Yan, who left the Imperial Palace and obtained many exclusive recipes from Tang Ying, opening one tavern after another.

They became close as sisters, understanding and cherishing each other.

The women shared their thoughts on the current situation of women’s lives, customs, and even doctrines of the time.

They yearned to improve the status of women, especially to raise women’s consciousness.

For example, the case of deception in Fu State.

With the support of Tang Yan, the Emperor implemented a number of remedial measures.

For instance, the brothel Medical Woman case.

With Tang Yan’s support, the Emperor severely punished corrupt officials and restored the reputation of the brothel Medical Women.

In her eyes, everyone was equal, with no distinction of high or low, noble or humble…

The content of the book was lengthy.

It covered everything from entering the palace to exile and then returning to the palace, almost like her personal memoir.

And it was filled with flattering praises.

“This, this—-”

Sang Yan felt so embarrassed reading it she nearly got “secondhand embarrassment cancer”: “This content is too lofty and upright. Even if it gets out, I fear no one will believe it.”

He Ying brought the book to please Sang Yan.

Hearing her say this, he laughed and said, “If they don’t believe it, let Feng Yicheng tell them. I have it all figured out; we need to find a few more highly esteemed scholars from the common folk to speak for you.”

Sang Yan frowned upon hearing this, “Be careful, or it may backfire.”

He Ying still laughed, “I’d like to see who dares to object!”

Sang Yan: “…”

She felt helpless–why couldn’t He Ying yield even a step on the matter of their marriage?

“Actually, there’s no need to rush.”

She tried to persuade him, “Wait until I am pregnant, give birth to the heir, and then I can be said to have contributed to the state. By that time, they should have no objections.”

He Ying liked these few sentences of hers and laughed heartily, “With all my effort, it should be soon.”

Sang Yan counted the days her period was late and felt it really might be soon.

But she feared it might be false hope and didn’t want to say so.

Wait a little longer.

Her menstrual cycle was not that regular.

During her time in exile, her body was severely depleted, and with great stress, a prolonged state of mental tension, her period was delayed by a month.

“In short, you must not be impulsive in your actions.”

Sang Yan returned to the topic, reminding him.

He Ying touched her belly and nodded, “Okay. I’ll listen to you.”

He listened to her, taking a gentle approach: starting with the great joy of the Emperor and Empress’s wedding, he exempted the entire nation from one year of taxes, opened his private coffers, and awarded one thousand cents to those who married on the same day as the grand wedding.

These two measures to share joy with the people quickly caused a huge reaction within the country.

Bestowing grace, naturally, won the love of the people.

Beyond that, He Ying had the great scholars write poems praising Sang Yan’s beauty and talent, essentially to restore her good name.

The Sang Family has a beauty, with a smile as fair as jade.

Like a celestial being descended to earth, no wonder the Emperor’s favor never wanes.

Elegant as an orchid, her talent surpassing even the immortals.

There is a beauty, graceful and demure.

…

Such poems sprouted like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, spreading widely throughout the Capital City.

Coupled with the dissemination of the “Dahe Record of Splendor,” Sang Yan’s reputation really improved a lot.

Of course, there was also the matter of violent arrests.

Anyone who paraded in opposition to Sang Yan becoming Empress was thrown into prison.

Few were unafraid of death.

No one truly wished to risk their life to interfere with the Emperor’s private affairs.

The grand wedding between the Emperor and Empress grew ever closer.

Sang Ruoshui’s health had not yet improved.

During one of Ms. Lin’s attempts to persuade her to leave the Imperial Palace, she flew into a rage and sent Ms. Lin away.

After that, with Ms. Lin no longer by her side to take care of her, “Lover’s Sleep” flared up again.

She spent her days lost in the blissful dreams of her passionate entanglements with the Emperor, unwilling to face the harsh reality.

But the night before the big wedding, her dreams of “Lover’s Sleep” turned blood-soaked.

She took a knife and killed He Ying.

“Death is the ultimate possession.”

“Kill him!”

“Kill him, and he will forever belong to you!”

A devilish voice tempted her by her ear.

“No!”

“This can’t be!”

Her inner self resisted.

But her hands, beyond control, grasped the glittering, icy dagger and thrust repeatedly into He Ying’s chest.

Blood sprayed out.

It splashed across her face.

Ran into her mouth.

The taste of blood was salty, briny, and bitter.

She saw herself extending her tongue, licking greedily, and then holding He Ying’s corpse, she alternated between laughing and weeping like a madwoman: “Haha, you are finally mine. Xinyuan, I love you so.”

Mumbling, she bent down, kissed his cold face.

His face too was splattered with blood.

She extended her crimson tongue, licking it clean bit by bit.

It didn’t seem to be enough.

She began licking the blood off her own hands.

But there was too much blood.

She couldn’t lick it all away.

“Aaah!”

Holding the body, she began to scream.

“Stop it!”

She woke up screaming, breaking out in a cold sweat.

“My Lady, what is it?”

Xiang Ying hurried in, carrying a lamp.

The light revealed Sang Ruoshui’s pale face, her eyes wide with terror.

“My Lady, another nightmare?”

She showed concern, feigning compassion, yet she said, “Ah, if only the Emperor were here. With the Emperor by your side, my Lady, you surely wouldn’t have nightmares. I heard that the Empress sleeps very well, not waking until the sun is high in the sky.”

Her words were full of insinuation.

But Sang Ruoshui was oblivious to it, and even full of hatred toward both Sang Yan and He Ying.

“Yes. With the Emperor by my side, surely I wouldn’t have nightmares.”

“So, kill him.”

“That adulterous pair, they’ve driven you to this plight, they deserve a thousand deaths!”

The devil’s voice in her ear tempted her once more.

She gazed at her own trembling, pallid hands, as if she could still see the blood that had stained them when she plunged the knife into He Ying’s chest.

So much blood flowed from his heart.

So quickly it soaked her hands.

The sticky sensation made her entire body uncomfortable.

“No! No!”

She cried out in horror, wiping her hands on the sleeve of her nightgown.

But she couldn’t clean it off.

She had killed He Ying.

She had killed the man she loved most.

“Lover’s Sleep” burned even more fiercely now.

Coils of smoke relentlessly snaked into her nose.

Suddenly, she leaned back, fell down again, and sank into the blood-drenched nightmare.

That night, she killed He Ying countless times.

“I love you.”

“Who let you marry someone else?”

“Don’t blame me. If I can’t have you, then I’ll destroy you.”

As she plunged the knife fiercely into his chest, her expression was calm as she spoke.