The Villainess Always Wants to Cuddle With Me [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 24

Another long winter night descended, the air thick with frost, the world veiled in snow and mist.

The vermilion roof tiles of Changyang Palace were draped in layers of silvery powder and jade-like flakes, the entire scene bathed in a pristine, luminous glow.

Beneath the eaves of the boudoir’s corridor stood a rosewood grandmaster’s chair. A brazier glowed before it, its faint orange-yellow flames dancing and flickering among the smokeless coals.

“Your Majesty, it’s cold outside. The warm walls inside will protect you from catching a chill. Please come in,” Xiao Mei said, handing Ling Jun a freshly warmed hot water bottle.

Ling Jun accepted it with a soft sigh. “It’s nothing… I finally have two days to rest, yet the snow continues to fall so heavily. I wonder how she’s doing now. Ah…” Another sigh escaped her lips. “It’s been a year since she left, and still not a word…”

Seeing her distress, Xiao Mei bit her lower lip. “Your Majesty, please don’t worry. As the saying goes, no news is good news.”

Ling Jun lowered her gaze to the brazier, changing the subject. “These past few days, they’ve been pressuring me to expand the Imperial Harem again.”

Xiao Mei knew Ling Jun’s situation well. It seemed she would never desire another after Qi Gui…

“Will Your Majesty come inside?”

“Sit a while longer,” Ling Jun said, her voice growing increasingly agitated. “Those old foxes aren’t fools. Since my ascension, every night has been spent in the Hall of Central Harmony with the Regent King. Who in this entire city doesn’t know that?”

As Ling Jun’s mood darkened, Xiao Mei turned to fetch some lotus pastries from the small kitchen, hoping the sweet treats might dispel her melancholy.

Outside Lu Zong City, Lu Kingdom:

The grasslands had turned yellow, and the treetops blazed crimson. Archers raised their flaming arrows, awaiting the command.

“Release!”

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…

Thousands of fiery arrows lit up the city walls, clashing against shields with crisp, metallic sounds.

“Medic! A’Xiao’s been hit! Medic!” A girl who looked no older than twelve cried out.

“We’re stretched too thin! Get her to the rear lines first!” The medic replied anxiously, wiping sweat from her brow. She glanced back at the dozens of wounded soldiers in the rear tents, all clearly unfit for further combat.

Standing at the front lines, You Xing wiped beads of sweat from his cheek and growled, “This can’t go on. How much longer inside?”

A green flare suddenly ignited in the sky above Lu Zong City.

A’Bao remarked knowingly, “About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. I didn’t expect the Xie Clan to deploy their most trusted men to guard the city gates. Truly…”

Before he could finish, two sharp clangs rang out as A’Bao deflected two arrows with his spear.

Inside Lu Zong City, Guan Qigui wielded the Three Primes Dust-Breaking Twin Blades, weaving through the ranks of enemy commanders.

Bl00d sprayed three feet with each strike, sealing throats with a single slash. Commanders who had moments ago been shouting orders fell in crimson heaps, their bl00d splattering across the city walls in long, crimson streaks.

Guan Qigui coldly flicked the thick bl00d from her blades, then sheathed the twin blades at her lower back. She surveyed the battlefield. The Xie Clan’s trusted men lay dead in pools of bl00d, and the clash of swords and the whistle of arrows had noticeably diminished. The battle was nearing its end.

She raised her gaze to the sky, where snowflakes swirled down in a relentless blizzard. She extended a gloveless hand to catch a falling flake, exhaling a cloud of murky breath that dissolved into the snow like mist.

Reaching into her inner robe, she retrieved her identity token and shouted, “I am Guan Qigui, Eldest Princess of the Lu Kingdom, acting under divine mandate to execute the traitorous Xie Clan. You are all subjects of the Lu Kingdom. Do not resist in vain…”

The crowd exchanged uneasy glances, murmuring in confusion.

“Isn’t that the tributary prince? And the First Prince, no less? How is he a princess now?”

“Could it be a coincidence of names?”

“We’d best not pry into Imperial Family matters…”

“So, we’re not going to resist?”

“Forget it. This princess commands a formidable army. We’re doomed either way.”

“Let’s take a gamble! What do we have to lose?”

One by one, soldiers began dropping their weapons, the clatter of metal against stone echoing through the air.

Seeing this, Hou Xilin pulled out a blue signal flare and fired it into the sky.

With a sharp whoosh, a brilliant blue firework burst across the heavens, its vivid color unmistakable. At the city gate, the orphaned children guarding the entrance saw the signal and worked together to open the gates.

Thus, Lu Zong City fell.

Imperial Palace City, Dragon Blessing Palace.

Wan Sheng knelt prostrate before the dragon throne, his body trembling as he stammered, “Your Majesty, the city gates have fallen!” A sharp crack echoed through the hall, and Wan Sheng instinctively closed his eyes.

Xie Yu raised the Innocent Whip and lashed it down with furious force. “You’re all a bunch of useless drunkards! Good for nothing but eating, drinking, and indulging in pleasure! You can’t even defend a city gate! Worthless trash!”

She struck again, and Wan Sheng stifled a groan, daring not to make a sound.

“Where is Guan Qigui? What are her movements now?” Xie Yu’s chest heaved violently, betraying her uncontainable agitation. Her brows furrowed sharply, her expression fierce.

“Your Majesty,” Wan Sheng reported, his voice trembling, “Guan Qigui… has reached the Imperial Palace City. She seized five cities along the way, and now even Lu Zong City… Perhaps we should flee!” He finished, pressing his lips together and glancing timidly at Xie Yu.

“Flee?” Xie Yu scoffed, lashing out with her whip again. Her once elegant face twisted with fury as she snarled, “After all I’ve endured to reach this position, how dare I let it be destroyed by the hand of my own flesh and bl00d! Even if I can’t defeat her, I’ll drag her down to hell with me! Wan Sheng, prepare the poisoned needles.” She turned to another attendant standing nearby, her voice dripping with malice. “Jing Qiao, fetch my hand drum.”

“Yes,” Jing Qiao replied, suppressing her confusion.

A hand drum? With the enemy at the gates, why would Xie Yu need a hand drum? Though puzzled, Jing Qiao obeyed. As she left the chamber, she saw Wan Sheng heading in the opposite direction. She quickly circled around Xie Yu’s bedchamber, slipped into the deserted bamboo grove, and released a carrier pigeon.

Inside Lu Zong City, Guan Qigui tallied the wounded soldiers and asked, “Has the promised military rations arrived yet?”

“Not yet. The messenger said they’re still en route,” the soldier beside her replied.

Hearing this, Guan Qigui frowned, her voice tinged with irritation. “They were halfway here half a month ago, and they’re still halfway here? The front lines are desperate. If the supplies don’t arrive soon, our current reserves won’t last beyond the seventh day.”

Black Hawk emerged from the shadows, interrupting her. “My lord, a letter has arrived from the palace.”

Guan Qigui waved her hand, and the others withdrew.

“What’s the news?” As she spoke, Guan Qigui tapped her toes, using a burst of inner energy to leap onto the roof. She leaned against the roof tiles, gazing up at the snowflakes drifting down, their descent mesmerizingly beautiful.

Black Hawk followed closely, standing beside her with his hands clasped behind his back. “Jing Qiao’s letter says…”

Guan Qigui cut him off, patting the roof tile beside her and raising an eyebrow. “Does this prince look like a tiger?”

Black Hawk paused, then shook his head.

“Then would this prince eat you?” Guan Qigui pressed.

Black Hawk hesitated, then shook his head again.

“Then why don’t you sit down and speak clearly? The snow is so heavy, I can barely hear you.”

Black Hawk obediently sat cross-legged, his back straight. “Jing Qiao’s letter says the Xie Clan has no intention of fleeing. She has ordered Wan Sheng to prepare poisoned needles and instructed Jing Qiao herself to prepare a hand drum.”

Upon hearing this, Guan Qigui burst into laughter. “Hahaha, that’s just like her!” Given Xie Yu’s temperament, having finally attained such honor and power, she would sooner die on the dragon throne than relinquish it to another.

“My lord, I have a question,” Black Hawk said, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“You want to know the purpose of the hand drum?” Guan Qigui glanced at Black Hawk and answered without hesitation.

“Yes.”

Thinking of the hand drum, Guan Qigui closed her eyes. Snowflakes landed on her long, curled lashes, causing them to tremble slightly with a hint of cold. The sunless sky cast her face into shadow, making her appear particularly somber. She took a deep breath and said, “You’ve likely wanted to ask this since the battle at Kang Sheng. I am a disciple of the High Saint Clan. Their selection of disciples is based on fate. However, I have only ever met my own Master. As for the others… I neither know nor care about them. Since you want to know the purpose of the hand drum, there’s no harm in telling you. My body originally contained a Gu worm called Hidden Dance.”

Gu… Black Hawk pondered Xie Clan’s origins, then his eyes lit up. “The Xie Clan’s maternal lineage is from Xuan You. The Hidden Dance and the hand drum… Could it be? Dancing to music!”

Guan Qigui raised an eyebrow in approval. “Correct. You’re indeed clever.”

“This subordinate dares not…” Black Hawk scratched his head.

“The people of Xuan You have controlled Gu for generations. However, in recent times, they rarely appear in the martial world, preferring to remain secluded. It must have taken considerable effort for the Xie Clan mother and daughter to leave Xuan You. As for the Hidden Dance, this Gu isn’t difficult to cultivate. Since childhood, this prince has had the Hidden Dance implanted within my body. When the hand drum plays, the Hidden Dance begins to dance, moving from my spine to my Qi Sea. The pain feels like ants gnawing at my bones… But now, the Hidden Dance within my body can no longer advance.” As Guan Qigui spoke, her hand clenched into a fist at her side, trembling uncontrollably. Even the mere memory of that thing seemed to evoke the boundless darkness and agony the Hidden Dance had inflicted upon her, as if she were trapped in the abyss’s pitch-black depths every night, without a single ray of light.

“Does Master have a method to expel it?”

“It’s a Heavenly Silkworm. My Master gave it to me to save me,” Guan Qigui said, lowering her gaze and scoffing softly. If she hadn’t encountered such a benefactor, she would likely still be Xie Yu’s dog, clinging to life by her side.

“In that case, we have nothing to fear from the Xie Clan’s schemes!”

As dawn broke, Guan Qigui rode her horse to the palace walls. Dismounting, she joined the soldiers marching through the palace gates.

To overthrow the Xie Clan under the guise of righteous justice, they had to enter the palace on foot. Any other approach would invite criticism.

They had planned to fight their way to the Dragon Blessing Palace, but the palace guards surrendered without resistance. Recalling Xie Yu’s past demeanor and methods—her autocratic rule, her tyrannical cruelty—it was no wonder her laws lacked popular support.

Arriving before the Dragon Blessing Palace, Guan Qigui gazed up at the carved jade railings, golden-tiled roofs, vermilion pillars, and crimson walls. The deep, endless corridors stretched into the distance. Lush branches, weighed down by lingering snow, shed flakes with each gust of wind.

Once, these endless palace corridors had seemed to stretch into eternity. Now, their end was finally in sight.

Guan Qigui crossed the threshold alone, entering the palace hall. Her sharp gaze pierced the air, as if determined to pierce Xie Yu herself.

Xie Yu reclined gracefully on the dragon throne as usual, while Wan Sheng knelt before her, his hands resting on her legs, kneading with rhythmic pressure. Every few minutes, he shifted his technique. Jing Qiao stood beside Xie Yu, holding a round fan adorned with paired phoenixes, its gentle movements stirring a breeze that seemed to conjure swirling clouds.

The moment Guan Qigui stepped into the hall, the doors slammed shut, leaving only four figures within. Guan Qigui’s gaze deepened as she stared at Xie Yu, a scornful laugh escaping her lips. “Your Majesty certainly has refined tastes.”

Without a word, Xie Yu brushed Wan Sheng aside and rose to her feet, her icy gaze sweeping over Guan Qigui like a burning torch. “After more than a decade apart, what’s this? You can’t even bring yourself to call me ‘Mother Empress’? Your wings have grown quite stiff. Hmph… but you’ve returned with your feathers clipped.”

“Mother Empress…” Guan Qigui murmured softly, then let out a hollow laugh. She drew the Three Origins Dust-Breaking Blade from its sheath at her waist, planted her feet firmly, and lowered her stance, the bloodshot veins in her eyes starkly visible as she advanced steadily toward Xie Yu. “How dare you speak those words? Have you ever shown me genuine affection, even for a single day? Poisoning the late emperor, framing palace consorts, plotting usurpation… Xie Yu, have you considered how you will atone for these sins?”

Hearing Guan Qigui’s every word ring true, Xie Yu’s eyes widened, her voice dripping with malice. “How do you know all this? I truly underestimated you, Regent King of the Rin Kingdom!” As she spoke, she swiftly drew her Innocent Whip and lashed it through the air.

The Innocent Whip whistled through the air. Guan Qigui raised her sword, gathering qi in her Qi Sea, and with a powerful strike, deflected the whip. The barbs snagged on Xie Yu’s flesh with a sickening rip.

Stung by the pain, Xie Yu stumbled and collapsed to the ground, her crown’s golden beads scattering across the floor. Her hair disheveled, she glared fiercely, snarling, “When did you acquire such skill…?”

“After more than a decade apart, do you truly expect me to remain the helpless quail I once was?” Guan Qigui found the question absurd. She gazed down at her once-supreme enemy, now stripped of all dignity, and pressed the tip of her sword against Xie Yu’s brow.

“Your Majesty!” Wan Sheng cried out, his brow furrowed as he rushed toward Xie Yu. He barely took two steps before Jing Qiao intercepted him.

Xie Yu glanced back, her face freezing, pupils contracting. Her expression darkened as she glared at Jing Qiao. “Jing Qiao, what is the meaning of this?!”

At last, Xie Yu understood why she had never fully grasped the ever-changing Guan Qigui. Frantically, she pulled out her hand drum, her fingers flying across its surface to produce a rhythmic, metallic beat.

Dong, da, dong…

Wen Le clutched his abdomen, as if facing a mortal enemy. Seeing this, Xie Yu seemed to regain her composure, her rigid expression softening slightly. “So, you still haven’t broken the Hidden Dance,” she said. “Since you are my own flesh and bl00d, how could a mayfly possibly shake a tree?”

Jing Qiao tightened her grip on the dagger hidden in her sleeve, glancing at Guan Qigui with a hint of worry.

Xie Yu relaxed completely, lowering her guard as she produced a poisoned needle from her sleeve and aimed it at Guan Qigui’s neck. With a muffled groan, dark bl00d seeped from the corner of her mouth. Seizing the opportunity, Guan Qigui pressed her sword against Xie Yu’s wrist, severing her tendons.

“Ah!” Xie Yu trembled, staring in horror at the person before her. The docile lamb she once knew had transformed into someone unrecognizable.

Guan Qigui sneered. “A criminal of Xuan You, a master of the Skin and Hair Gu, dares to make such bold claims? Having lived in comfort for so long, how could your vision become so narrow?”

“Reversal! You’ve broken the Hidden Dance! How is this possible?” Xie Yu couldn’t believe it. Though not the most powerful Gu, the Hidden Dance was far from ordinary; few in this world could break it. Moreover, she had never taught Guan Qigui how to defend against Gu.

Showing a rare moment of compassion, Guan Qigui pointed to her chest. “Do you know about the Heavenly Silkworm? It’s right here.”

“Heavenly Silkworm! Hahahaha…” Xie Yu’s madness reached its peak. Her eyes were bloodshot, and black bl00d seeped from the corners of her mouth. The wound inflicted by the Innocent Whip had gone numb, and she finally understood that her reign was over.

Despite this, Xie Yu shook her head and forced a smile. “I don’t believe it. The Heavenly Silkworm is such a rare Gu. As far as I know, only one person in Xuan You possesses it, and someone like her wouldn’t care about such things!”

“This palace doesn’t know who you’re referring to. This is merely our farewell. Your bewitchment is beyond this palace’s ability to undo. You should descend and atone for your sins properly.” Guan Qigui’s patience had completely vanished. She picked up the poisoned needle Xie Yu had prepared and plunged it into her heart.

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the criminal Xie Yu, guilty of treason, rebellion, heinous crimes, impiety, discord, and injustice, her virtue unworthy of her position, has died violently in prison. Now, the Eldest Princess Guan Qigui, upholding righteousness, shall ascend the throne on an auspicious day. By imperial decree…”

In the third month of spring, a few willow branches climbed the palace walls. Who knows the deep sighs hidden within these walls? Beneath the branches lay scattered books, urging the weary masses onward.

“Hurry, hurry, hurry! It never ends!” Ling Jun swept the urgent memorials off the table, then, still furious, grabbed a handful and flung them out the door.

Xiao Mei trembled as she gathered the scattered memorials. Anxin, watching with concern, took them from her and began organizing them. Xiao Mei returned to Ling Jun’s side and advised: “Your Majesty, the ministers mean well. Besides, the Regent King…”

Before Xiao Mei could finish, Ling Jun interrupted sharply: “She is the Empress of the Lu Kingdom!”

“Yes, yes, yes…” Xiao Mei quickly agreed, sensing Ling Jun’s mood. “That Empress even wrote in her letter the other day that she was busy…”

Ling Jun interrupted again, his tone both accusatory and bitter: “Busy is good! She borrowed Guan Qigui and hasn’t returned her! As the saying goes, ‘Return what you borrow, and you can borrow again.’ How long has she been gone? A year and a half! What does she mean by this? Is she trying to force my hand?”

Anxin exchanged a glance with Xiao Mei, then licked her lips and said, “Your Majesty, I have an idea.”

“Speak.”

“Your Majesty, why not choose from the candidates proposed by the ministers? As this servant knows, Qiu Lingying, the eldest daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites, has been quite close to Qi Ye, the young master of the Qi Cheng Merchant Guild. However, Vice Minister Qiu intervened, forbidding the two from seeing each other. Your Majesty can likely guess the reasons behind this.” Anxin calmly explained the situation. Though she hadn’t interacted with Guan Qigui as much as Ling Jun had, she understood her temperament well enough to be confident in her plan.

How could a ruler not know the thoughts of her personal maidservant? Ling Jun raised an eyebrow. “Are you suggesting that I marry Qiu Lingying first to provoke Guan Qigui into returning, then arrange a marriage between her and Qi Ye?”

Anxin nodded. “Your Majesty is wise.”

Ling Jun waved her hand dismissively, a smile playing on her lips. “Let it be done!”

Empty pavilion, long alleyway,

New leaves scatter fragrant breeze.

A stroke of vermilion, slender jade hand,

Tear drops fall.

A stroke of vermilion, tightly clenched,

Imperial edict to end the war.

In the Golden Luan Hall, the ministers buzzed with debate.

Ling Jun cleared her throat. “Esteemed Ministers, what do you believe the Lu Kingdom seeks?”

Fang Qiancang, his face flushed with anger, sputtered, “This violates all propriety! Absolutely not!”

Ling Jun arched an eyebrow. “Then would you volunteer to marry into the Lu Kingdom in my stead?”

“This humble minister… this humble minister…” Fang Qiancang stammered, his silence stretching for the time it would take an incense stick to burn.

“Since none of you can devise a solution, and refusing to marry would mean war with the Lu Kingdom, We cannot allow Our people to suffer the ravages of conflict. Let us compromise. We shall inquire if they will accept Us as their bride.”

With a stroke of vermilion ink, the imperial decree was sealed, and the official bearing the order smiled wryly.

“Your Majesty…” Black Hawk gazed at the jade seal on the memorial, his eyes filled with concern.

“Inform Guan Lin to prepare for the coronation. We are to be married.” Guan Qigui traced the two bold characters written by Ling Jun’s vermilion brush, the paper radiating sincerity and strength. Beneath the two lines of smaller script, the words “Marry Me” were emblazoned across the decree.

A hundred miles of crimson silk stretched from horizon to horizon, an unprecedented spectacle of lanterns and splendor the world had never witnessed.

Spring warmed the land, flowers bloomed in profusion, and the sun shone brightly. Twin rainbows arched across the sky, while paired blossoms heralded a night of marital bliss.

The imperial marriage pact between the Rin and Lu Kingdoms, a rare and astonishing union, inspired countless lovers to declare their devotion amidst the extraordinary circumstances.

The once-quiet alleyways now echoed with the joyous celebrations of Qiu Lingying and Qi Ye, their long-awaited union finally legitimized.

Candlelight warmed the silken curtains concealing the bride. Ling Jun glided gracefully to the table, poured two cups of nuptial wine, and approached the red veil. With the wine cup as a lever, she lifted the veil, revealing the most radiant and tender face she had ever beheld.

“My wife, now that the veil is lifted, I have no regrets in this life. Let us drink the nuptial wine together.” Ling Jun handed the other cup to Guan Qigui.

Guan Qigui stroked Ling Jun’s eyebrows and eyes, her gaze filled with affection. “My wife truly knows how to capture my heart.”

Hand in hand, they gazed into each other’s eyes and drank deeply of their lifelong devotion.

“In three years, we’ll entrust the world’s affairs to trustworthy hands. Then, my wife and I can live as free as wandering clouds and wild cranes, traveling through countless mountains and rivers. What do you say?” Ling Jun’s talent for painting grand visions had only grown stronger, though she spoke with genuine sincerity. With no worldly worries to disturb them, she believed she and Qi Gui could walk a long, long path together in this life.

“Yes. I love the landscapes you describe,” Guan Qigui murmured, pressing a kiss to Ling Jun’s lips. Their mouths met and parted, opening and closing in a tender rhythm. If not for Ling Jun’s gentle healing of her wounded heart, the world might already be a wasteland of carnage. Guan Qigui knew her own ruthlessness all too well—after all, she was the woman who had even killed her own birth mother.

A dark, bead-like bracelet coiled around Ling Jun’s wrist, while a similar white bead bracelet encircled Guan Qigui’s wrist.

“What is that white pearl on your wrist, my wife?” Ling Jun leaned closer to examine it, but couldn’t make out anything.

Guan Qigui lowered her gaze. Finding nothing on her wrist matching Ling Jun’s description, she replied, “I’m not wearing any accessories.”

“Then…” Ling Jun pointed to the Profound Pearl on her own wrist. “You can’t see this Profound Pearl either?”

Guan Qigui shook her head, her heart tightening as she noticed Ling Jun’s eyes. She held up three fingers and asked, “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Three,” Ling Jun answered without hesitation.

Guan Qigui pulled Ling Jun into a tight embrace, her lips pressed into a firm line. “I will search the world for the finest physicians to cure your eye ailment.”

Ling Jun froze for a moment, then gently stroked Guan Qigui’s back. “This is an old ailment. To be able to see even fragments now is a lifetime’s fortune. Why trouble yourself further? If the illness returns, my wife, you shall be my eyes.”

“Alright…” Guan Qigui smiled, her brow smoothing as she let go of the world-destroying impulse that had haunted her heart. How fortunate I am to have found my greatest treasure, she thought.

Warm candlelight painted the red curtains in crimson waves, as night after night, mandarin ducks whispered their love.

(The End)