Chapter 167: Begin Your Martial Arts Training

Making a painful sacrifice in exchange for such a lucrative deal was a guaranteed win without any risk.

Jun Yeli satisfiedly dismissed the various envoys. Hua Rong wanted to approach him, but Noble Consort Wen rushed toward Jun Yeli first, a hint of panic in her voice.

"Your Majesty, you must believe that this concubine is innocent!"

After all, she could never have imagined that people from the Lotus Cult would appear right beside her. Even Noble Consort Wen, upon receiving the news, was utterly bewildered. She was terrified that this incident would cause the Emperor to harbor suspicions against her.

Faced with this tense and anxious attitude, Jun Yeli’s gaze turned cold. It would have been better if she had said nothing, but mentioning it only made him want to settle scores with her.

"As a noble consort, such a massive hazard appeared right by your side, yet you were completely oblivious to it, and nearly drove Consort Rong to her death. You truly need to deeply reflect on this matter!"

"This concubine already knows her wrongs! From now on, I will strictly investigate everyone around me and ensure this never happens again!"

Terrified, Noble Consort Wen dropped straight to her knees. Her gaze, brimming with adoring affection, was almost enough to evoke pity.

Unfortunately, remembering how Hua Rong had narrowly escaped death and suffered immensely, Jun Yeli had no intention of forgiving her. At that moment, his gaze grew cold, his hands clasped behind his back. He remained entirely unmoved by the woman's pleas, looking so indifferent that even onlookers felt a pang of sympathy.

Hua Rong stepped forward and finally spoke, "Your Majesty, Noble Consort Wen usually treats me exceptionally well. She must have been kept in the dark and knew nothing of this. Why must Your Majesty implicate others?"

Weren't these words, between the lines, a plea on behalf of Noble Consort Wen?

Faced with the woman's somewhat hopeful gaze, Jun Yeli's heart softened slightly. "Very well, let this matter rest here. If Consort Rong suffers any harm in the future, anyone whatsoever associated with it will not be spared!"

In the ears of the bystanders, these domineering words sounded jarring and terrifying.

Standing to the side, Lady Zhao bit her lip so hard that her crimson lip stain was completely ground away by her teeth.

"Abominable! The Emperor is actually so bewitched by this vixen that he isn't even sparing Noble Consort Wen a shred of face. It seems I can no longer sit back and wait for my doom, or there will be no place left for me in the inner palace!"

Maintaining her last shred of stubbornness, Lady Zhao waited until they departed before quickly hurrying over to Noble Consort Wen, fawningly helping her up. "Consort Wen, are you alright?"

Faced with this attitude, the Noble Consort gritted her teeth, her belly full of pent-up rage with nowhere to vent. She shoved Lady Zhao aside. "I am fine."

With that, she gathered her skirts and swept away. Her usual gentleness and magnanimity had been completely worn away at this moment, leaving a rather helpless sight.

Her flattery had been thrown to the dogs. Lady Zhao felt rather self-absorbed, having needlessly made a spectacle of herself, which only added to her frustration.

"It seems this Noble Consort Wen is not someone who can be utilized. Can I really only resort to *that* method now?"

Sighing heavily, Lady Zhao returned to her bedchamber. Gazing at the packet of powder in her hand, she remained lost in thought for a long time, unable to extricated herself.

Over at the Nine Dragons Palace, Jun Yeli was helped to a seat. Looking at the fresh blood still faintly oozing from the wound, Hua Rong felt a pang of distress. "I'm sorry."

Hearing these hesitant words, Jun Yeli was somewhat surprised. He looked up at her and, seeing the full measure of guilt and grievance on the woman's face, felt somewhat baffled. "Why are you suddenly saying such things?"

"Your hand... It's because of this concubine that you were injured. Earlier, I even doubted Your Majesty's feelings toward me..."

For a moment, an indescribable flutter surged into her heart. She couldn't tell if it was touched emotion or something else, but right at that moment, she inexplicably felt a pang of heartache for him, along with an urge to actively lean into him.

Thinking it was some momentous issue, Jun Yeli couldn't help but chuckle softly. With his other hand, he pulled her palm and drew the woman into his embrace.

Pressing against his chest, she could seemingly feel his strong, steady heartbeat, which unexpectedly made her too shyly embarrassed.

"Then what is this for?"

"Nothing, just wanting to tell you that risking my life for you is entirely a matter of course. Don't go around saying sorry like this in the future. Besides, this time you secured a stretch of territory for Us; you are truly a meritorious official!"

Although this stretch of territory had not been part of his original plan, something obtained for nothing naturally brought a sweet taste to the heart.

Jun Yeli raised his chin slightly, a single hand caressing half of the woman's face, where he could faintly catch the scent of blood. Thinking back to the startling scene from moments ago, he still felt a lingering fear, and his heart remained uneasy. "No, We cannot protect you at every single moment. You must learn to protect yourself!"

The sudden remark left her baffled, though she vaguely sensed something ominous.

Turning her head slightly, a bewildered flash crossed her eyes. "I do not know what Your Majesty means by this."

"We have thought carefully. You are frail and delicate in build, and as the sovereign of a nation, We cannot guard your side at all times. If you encounter something like this again, you probably wouldn't be able to cope alone. Therefore, We intend to teach you martial arts!"

As these words fell, Hua Rong nearly choked on her own saliva, coughing continuously several times before calming down. Staring at Jun Yeli in utter astonishment, she simply could not believe these words had come from his mouth.

"Surely Your Majesty is joking with me?" Hua Rong twitched the corners of her lips, reluctantly maintaining a polite smile, though the helplessness and bitterness within could only be understood by herself.

Someone who found walking a few hundred meters exhausting was now being told to practice martial arts and engage in such grueling physical labor—wasn't this blatantly asking for her life?

Carefully scrutinizing this fellow, she thought, *Is his brain wired in a straight line? How could he utter such nonsense?*

She had foolishly believed earlier that Jun Yeli was an exquisitely thoughtful man, only to realize she had been deceived by appearances. This wasn't thoughtfulness at all; this was sheer homicide!

To her surprise, Jun Yeli shook his head with absolute solemnity. "No, We are not joking with you. Had We not reacted swiftly today, you would have nearly passed through the gates of hell. Do you wish for such a thing to happen again?"

"Then can't you just assign a few more guards to protect me..."

Although having a dozen personal guards trailing her everywhere might draw too much attention, surely that was infinitely more pleasant than wielding swords and practicing martial arts?

With her own hands, she hadn't even plucked a zither string more than a few times—how had she fallen to such a plight?

"No. Those guards are all as useless as buckets of rice; at a critical moment, one must rely on oneself. Starting tomorrow, We will personally arrange for someone to teach you martial arts!"

Jun Yeli's gaze was resolute, leaving clearly no room for further negotiation.