Rules of Horror: Survival Begins in the Haunted Harem - Chapter 72

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Xie Nuange raised her head slightly. Her gaze settled on the Emperor’s mouth, and she hesitated.

Her eyes filled with bashfulness and admiration as she darted a glance at him, taking in his appearance.

The Emperor had aged well. He looked twenty-six or twenty-seven, with a clean, sharply defined jaw and handsome features.

His straight brows framed bright eyes, and an aloofness that kept others at a distance lingered between them.

His hair was swept up beneath a crown.

“This concubine admired Your Majesty, so she entered the palace.”

After speaking softly, Xie Nuange lowered her head again. She struggled for some time to force a blush until both her cheeks and ears reddened.

“Admired me?”

The Emperor still held her fingers. His thumb stroked gently over one of her knuckles.

The thin callus on his fingertip grazed the scar the hairpin had left on her finger, its faint roughness raising goose bumps across her skin.

Another hand reached over and lifted her chin, his thumb resting beneath her jaw.

“How old are you?”

Xie Nuange obediently raised her head with the pressure of his hand, keeping her eyes lowered toward his nose.

“Your Majesty, this concubine is nineteen.”

He nodded. His thumb remained beneath her jaw and pressed a little harder, lifting her chin another fraction.

It was as though he were inspecting a dish he was about to taste, deciding whether it pleased him and suited his palate.

Xie Nuange’s slender neck arched with the motion.

“Which palace do you live in?”

“This concubine lives in the eastern side hall of the Palace of Eternal Spring.”

“The Palace of Eternal Spring…”

The Emperor released her and asked, “What books have you read?”

Another lie would make this her second.

Xie Nuange steadied herself. “Nothing of consequence. Only the sorts of books young ladies read to pass the time in their chambers.”

“But when this concubine was little, she met an older sister who was quite interested in medical texts.”

She looked up at the Emperor, reminiscence in her eyes. “Unfortunately, this concubine has not seen her in a very long time.”

The Emperor’s expression did not change. He looked at Xie Nuange and raised an eyebrow. “Oh? I wouldn’t have guessed that someone so young would take an interest in medical texts.”

Xie Nuange grew nervous. She did not know whether this Emperor was the same as the one from Jiang Fan’s scenario.

“Put out the lights. It’s time for bed.”

The Emperor started to rise as he spoke. Xie Nuange tightened her hand slightly and held him back.

She glanced at the candlelight. “Your Majesty.”

[Rule Two: While attending the Emperor in bed, the candles in the bedchamber must not go out. If they do, relight them as quickly as possible.]

Xie Nuange paused, her gaze falling on the yellow dragon robe he wore. “This concubine prefers the lights on.”

The Emperor froze, his hand still holding hers.

“You aren’t frightened? I didn’t expect someone so young to be so bold.”

He reached out and slowly tucked a still-damp lock of hair behind her ear.

Then he pinched the rim of her ear. As his fingers slid gradually across her cheek and downward, Xie Nuange’s breath caught, and she instinctively tried to dodge.

But then she remembered the rule: she could not refuse physical contact.

She had no choice but to endure it. Taking the initiative, she leaned forward and pressed her face against the man’s chest to escape the touch of his hand.

“Is my beloved consort so impatient?”

Xie Nuange said nothing. She felt the man’s palm settle on her back and pat her gently.

Keeping her arms around the Emperor, she reached behind his back and took out Jiang Fan’s Jade Hairpin.

She glanced at the water clock in the corner, wishing it would flow faster. Faster still.

Half an hour normally passed in the blink of an eye. Why was time moving so slowly now?

“Since you prefer the lights on, they can remain lit.”

The Emperor straightened Xie Nuange. Before he could speak, she raised her head and gazed at him with sparkling eyes.

“Would Your Majesty like to watch this concubine dance?”

“No.”

Xie Nuange continued, “Then would Your Majesty like to hear this concubine sing a Jiangnan folk tune?”

“No.”

Xie Nuange refused to give up. “What about a game of chess?”

“Beloved consort…”

The Emperor frowned. Yet when he saw Xie Nuange’s young, innocent face, he ultimately held back whatever else he had meant to say.

His gaze fell on her collarbone. The neckline of her gauze robe had slipped slightly. “It’s getting late…”

His eyes lingered on that patch of skin for an instant before he released her.

“Let’s go to bed.”

With that, he rose and spread his arms, indicating that Xie Nuange should undress him.

[Rule One: You may not refuse the Emperor’s orders or demands.]

Xie Nuange anxiously clenched and unclenched her fist, then glanced at the water clock in the corner.

She stood and slowly reached out, delaying as much as she could.

She undid the frog closures on the Emperor’s clothes and removed his outer robe.

Skill activated: Datafication.

[Target: Emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty.]

[The emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty. He governs diligently, cares for his people, and has an aloof personality.]

[Likes red. Dislikes green.]

[The Emperor’s favor offers opportunities, but also brings danger.]

[Other: Locked.]

Carrying his clothes, Xie Nuange walked to the screen in the farthest corner and draped them over it.

She dawdled over smoothing every crease while reading the Emperor’s information.

Once she had finished, Xie Nuange lowered her head and quickly tied the sash of her own gauze robe into a dead knot.

Only after doing so did she turn and return to the bed. The Emperor stood waiting. When she approached, one of his arms wrapped around her shoulders while the other slipped beneath her knees, lifting her sideways into his arms.

Xie Nuange leaned back and grabbed his yellow night robe, looking up at him.

Nervousness crept involuntarily into her eyes.

She had never been this nervous even when facing ghosts and monsters.

The Emperor glanced down at her and raised an eyebrow, then placed her on the bed. “Have some wine.”

“This concubine will pour it…”

Xie Nuange was about to get out of bed when he pressed her down. “I will.”

As she watched the Emperor walk toward the long table, Xie Nuange gathered her hair into a casual bun and secured it with Jiang Fan’s Jade Hairpin.

Whether this worked or not was entirely up to you, Jiang Fan.

Wine trickled into a cup. Sitting on the bed, Xie Nuange watched the water clock.

She wished it would flow faster. Faster still.

For some reason, she suddenly remembered the experience Beilin had shared on the forum.

Experience the life of a woman, take charge of the household, and end the scenario.

Did she have to experience the entire life of an imperial consort in this scenario?

And what counted as a consort’s entire life?

Watching her child ascend the throne?

Or outliving the Emperor?

While she was lost in thought, the Emperor returned holding a wine cup in each hand.

Xie Nuange accepted one and glanced up at him.

He sat beside her and stared. “Drink.”

She held the cup and looked down at the wine.

[Rule Nine: When you do not know what to do, try drinking the wine on the table. It will help you.]

“Why aren’t you drinking?”

The Emperor leaned closer. “It’s sweet wine. It won’t make you drunk. Go on.”

Xie Nuange slowly raised the cup and drank it all in one swallow.

Seeing her drink, the Emperor tipped back his head and emptied his own cup. He took hers and returned both cups to the table.

The Emperor came back and sat beside the bed. Reaching behind him, he lowered the red gauze curtains, turning the candlelight hazy.

Xie Nuange’s eyelids grew heavy. She dug her nails into her palm, trying to keep herself alert.

But her body felt warm all over, and her thoughts began to slow.

The Emperor braced a hand beside Xie Nuange’s shoulder and lowered himself, his body looming over hers.