This Is What a Villain Is Like

As long as no one got in her way, she wouldn’t meddle in the affairs of Great Xia, much less care who ruled the world.

Thus, Jiang Ruxian followed Emperor Xia, watching her go to the Desire Immortal Pavilion. Once there, she observed the Emperor instruct a handmaiden to inquire about Jiang Lan’s recent movements, asking if he had visited the pavilion.

Only after learning that Jiang Lan hadn’t appeared did she depart for the palace, a hint of regret in her manner.

Jiang Ruxian took in this scene, growing increasingly annoyed.

’As the ruler of Great Xia, shouldn’t Emperor Xia be in the Imperial Palace handling her affairs? Yet she had the nerve to sneak out in disguise late at night for a tryst with another man?’

She understood there was likely some sort of arrangement between Emperor Xia and Jiang Lan...

...but she still couldn’t help herself.

Frankly, a major reason she was confronting Emperor Xia was simply that she was in a bad mood. If Emperor Xia were a man, she honestly couldn’t be bothered.

Emperor Xia could now see it clearly. ’This Jiang Ruxian is clearly deranged. Is she planning to intimidate every single woman connected to Jiang Lan?’

’Tonight was just her rotten luck.’

"Deep within the Imperial Palace lies the Dragon Transformation Pool. It is rich in spiritual essence and works wonders for healing. I had intended to find Jiang Lan tonight to have him inform the Prime Minister. That way, I could officially open the Dragon Transformation Pool for him, allowing him to heal his wounds..."

"Otherwise, who knows how long it would take for his injuries to heal."

"He helps me in secret, and I naturally will not mistreat him. If you’re so concerned about our relationship, feel free to ask him yourself. Why intercept me here in the middle of the night?"

"This is a rather contemptible move. I wonder what he would think if he found out?"

Emperor Xia smoothed out her slightly wrinkled collar, speaking with an air of utter nonchalance.

In truth, she was loath to offer up the Dragon Transformation Pool, but she had to say it to placate Jiang Ruxian.

Hearing this, Jiang Ruxian’s brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

She gave Emperor Xia a long, deep look and said flatly, "There’s no need to provoke me. As long as you aren’t using Jiang Lan, whatever you do is none of my concern."

"Let’s hope so."

Emperor Xia suppressed her fury, her own expression remaining placid as she replied.

This was an open threat from Jiang Ruxian.

As the ruler of Great Xia, to be threatened so brazenly to her face within the Imperial Capital—it was impossible for her not to feel resentful and enraged.

But years of cultivating patience and the habit of biding her time allowed her to maintain a facade of breezy indifference.

At these words, Jiang Ruxian said no more. Her figure silently vanished before Emperor Xia’s eyes.

Within the walled alley, the thin mist lingered and the moonlight shone brightly. Everything that had just occurred felt like an illusion.

"How outrageous..."

The placid expression on Emperor Xia’s face finally crumbled, her eyes filled with icy fury.

"We have failed in our duty to protect you, allowing Your Majesty to be humiliated."

Spring Orchid, Xia Zhu, and the other two handmaidens knelt in unison behind her, their faces pale. Their backs were plastered to their dresses, still damp with cold sweat from the encounter.

Emperor Xia’s fists clenched, her knuckles cracking. Not even Prime Minister Jiang Lintian would dare to threaten her so brazenly.

The majestic ruler of Great Xia, so utterly humiliated and powerless. She even had to invoke Jiang Lan’s name just to make Jiang Ruxian relent slightly.

Of course, she knew she had been far too careless tonight.

Had she known Jiang Ruxian’s true strength sooner, she never would have allowed the woman to get so close.

But to have such an elusive and terrifyingly powerful entity within the Imperial Capital felt like a constant knife at her back.

’Could Jiang Ruxian just as easily and silently slip into the Imperial Palace and take my life?’

’I must find a way to restrain her.’

’When I return to the Imperial Palace tonight, I must keep the Xia Yu Sword with me...’

The Xia Yu Sword was a Divine Sword forged at great cost by the founding emperor of Great Xia.

The amount of Shoushan Copper used in its forging alone was immense. It was a Holy Dao Imperial Sword, imbued with infinite power.

It was always enshrined deep within the Imperial Palace, and only the sovereign of Great Xia could draw it from its sheath.

Emperor Xia had always believed that no one in the Imperial Capital was her match, but tonight, Jiang Ruxian had taught her a harsh lesson.

An opponent whose strength far surpassed her own could easily suppress her before she even had a chance to mobilize the Dragon Fortune.

The next day, as a result of the incident, the number of guards surrounding Emperor Xia outside Qianyuan Prefecture had multiplied several times over.

This puzzled the representatives from the various Immortal Sect Lineages who had come to observe the ceremony, and they began to speculate wildly on the reason.

However, besides Emperor Xia and her four personal handmaidens, no one knew what had transpired the previous night.

In the center of the plaza sat a vast, crystal-clear Round Mirror.

It shimmered with divine light and rosy glows, while heavy mist shrouded some areas, concealing the buildings and pavilions within.

After several days of fierce battles, some of the Celestial Character Areas within Qianyuan Prefecture had already been claimed by the young Celestial Prides from the great sects.

Nearly every area was presided over by a True Disciple, and the young disciples from the Nobility and various great Noble Families also displayed remarkable skill.

The various Elder Level figures who had come to spectate nodded to themselves in approval, their gazes sweeping across some of the young disciples with great satisfaction.

Among the most eye-catching were Xiao Teng, the third son of Prince Zhenbei Xiao He, and Xia Jie, the third son of Prince Wuxuan.

Besides claiming a Celestial Character Area, they had also secured numerous lands of opportunity within Qianyuan Prefecture, building a brilliant track record.

Outside, Prince Zhenbei Xiao He was beaming with delight, and his colleagues and fellow ministers flocked to congratulate him.