The Price of Lust

The white snow covered the green tiles of the palace walls, and the lake had already frozen. The fog was so thick that people could not see the distance between the water and the sky.

A bright red gauze with the wind slightly moving, covering the slender dancer. White and greasy skin in the movement leaked a piece of spring light. Suddenly the pair of brimming water eyes cast a glimpse, and it could be called the most beautiful in heaven and earth.

Ring, ring, ring.

The jade-like ankle of the beauty was tied with a golden bell by the domineering ruler, ambiguously producing a few red marks, such as the fallen plum dotted, let the heart and soul sway.

The man who was drinking at the top narrowed his eyes slightly and then laughed, and suddenly made a sudden attack, imprisoning the beauty into his arms. His palm staggered into the red gauze, capturing the white wrist.

The beauty's hands were like warm jade, warm to the touch.

He profanely squeezed, the other hand lifted up the light red gauze, and fingertips lightly provoked, causing a tremble.

"Do not ... "the beauty with tears in her eyes, frightened to try to break free, begging for mercy sounded pitiful "back, go back ... "

Although there were gauze curtains around the pavilion to cover, but still outside, how could ...

"Heh."

The man sneered, he was clearly used to predation. Reaching out, he seemed to want to choke her, but then stopped and turned to hold down the back of her neck, roughly leaving a trail of finger marks.

"Can't learn to behave."

His voice was soft, like a lover's murmur, tinged with hostility, and he punishingly kissed that unappealing little mouth.

The sound of the tulle cracking was crisp, the sound of golden bells shaking ethereal, tight and messy ...

Aghia's brow furrowed and her eyes snapped open, breathing sharply and chaotically, but all she could see before her was an empty blanket of snow.

She looked around, and when she looked up at the familiar plaque engraved with the words "Shen Mansion", she was in a trance.

She was dreaming again.

Or rather, it wasn't a dream, it was something she had actually experienced, a memory from her previous life.

Those memories, like a knife carving, were burned into her brain with a clear imprint.

She, Aghia, was the most honored princess of the Northern Rong, once the prime minister rebelled and her parents were killed. The hypocritical and treacherous prime minister claimed that her parents died of an acute illness, but in fact he wanted to kill her and her brother.

She and her brother had to flee, but they were separated on their way to the Great Xu, where they were separated again.

After being separated from her brother, her maid, Liu Nu, was wounded to protect her and was defiled by the second young master of the Shen Family, the Commander of the Military Region of Wancheng City. And not only did she not seek justice for Liu Nu, but she was used as a dancer by the Shen family and offered to the fierce and notorious tyrant Xie Jie.

Not a wife, not even a concubine, just a canary to be ravaged at will - a plaything.

She had no status and could not even protect herself, so much so that when her brother was disemboweled and hung on the wall for public display, she could not even collect his body.

The country was broken and the family was dying, so she could only end this ridiculous life by burning herself.

She closed her eyes fiercely and drove that strange feeling of humiliation out of her body, barely able to suppress the cold smile at the corners of her mouth.

The good thing was that even God seemed to feel pity for her and actually let her start over again.

At this time, she was not yet under house arrest at Shen Mansion and had not yet met Xie Jie.

Aghia slowly opened her eyes, raised her head, and stared at the closed door of Shen Mansion in front of her.

She was reborn just after Liu Nu was defiled, and this time she still failed to save Liu Nu from her fate.

But this time, she must rewrite the fate of her last life and never let herself repeat it!

She wanted that high and mighty tyrant to bend over for her, to make Shen Family pay the price, and to save her brother and take revenge to restore her country.

"Oops, you're awake? I was going to do you a favor and find a tub of hot water to help you wake up."

The doorkeepers found her movement, laughing and teasing: "Wise up! What is the identity of the second young master! Not to mention playing a maid, even she is really played to death, no one dares to care even if you kneel to death!"

Shen Family as Military Region Commander Mansion, holding military power, in Wancheng City can be said to be a local king. Even the family's lackeys were all arrogant than the small officials in remote places.

For them, humiliating a weak woman with no one to rely on was a little spice to their humdrum life, enough to satisfy the twisted psychology of showing off their power.

The lackeys laughed loudly and deliberately said: "Didn't I pay you a white bun? Money and goods are clear! You kneel here, what if you dirty the way of the masters?"

They even gave her a white bun. Even if they also took this woman into the mansion and played with her, who would stand up for them?

The mocking words in her ears, word by word, all reflected her memory.

Aghia clenched her teeth and looked up coldly, glaring at them angrily, her eyes slightly red.

For the rest of her life, she could never forget the way Liu Nu looked when she was thrown back into their small compound, bruised and dying.

She was a living human being!

It was the sister she grew up with, her partner in life and death. In their mouths, she was worth only a white bun!

But expecting Shen Family to find conscience and severely punish the wicked, was no longer possible. The bitter fruit of naivety, she had already tasted once in her previous life.

The victim died in pain on her deathbed, the wrongly accused ended up with a false accusation, but only the evil-doer escaped justice, how ironic?

"God's justice is clear. If Shen Mansion doesn't support justice, someone else will."

Aghia pulled the corner of her lips and stood up shakily. A few days without food and water made her voice hoarse, but did not stop the determination.

The Shen Family had a strong hand in Wancheng City, but there was someone else in the city that the Shen Family cannot afford to offend in any way.

That person was her target, the Great Xu's monarch, Xie Jie.

Aghia's eyes skimmed deeply over the door of Shen Mansion, a cold light flashed in her eyes. She walked a few steps faster, and left in the snow amidst the sneers of the lackeys.

At 7 a.m., in front of the yamen of Wancheng City, a pair of plain hands pulled out the wooden mallet from the rack and hammered down the red-painted cowhide drum.

Rub-a-dub! Rub-a-dub! Rub-a-dub!

Three drums sounded, and the city was shaken by the Dengwen Drum.

Aghia was dressed in plain clothes, her hair tied up with a red plum, a few strands fell down loosely, making her flawless face even whiter.

She took a deep breath, clear and pleasant voice full of grief and anger, the words sobbed blood.

"I have a grievance! Sue the second son of Shen Mansion!"

After three drums, the yamen of Wancheng City were still dead silent, and no one dared to come out to answer.

As far as the eye can see the green walls and gray tiles, the black beams and vermilion doors. The brass nails on the door of the official government office was majestic and solemn, and the couplets on both sides of the book was the justice and law, but at this time, it seemed ridiculous.

There was no such thing as justice for the people! There was no fairness! Only officials protecting officials!

Aghia closed her eyes, collected the sadness in her eyes, raised her hand stubbornly and continued to beat the drum.

Rub-a-dub! Rub-a-dub! Rub-a-dub!

The sound of the drums was deafening, and Aghia's cries of injustice was filled with desperate sadness, "I have a complaint! Sue the second son of Shen Mansion for forcing rape of a virtuous girl!"

Silence!

The gate of the yamen was closed, and Aghia stood outside the door, as if she had gone back to her previous life when she had no way to sue.

She almost broke the Dengwen Drum mallet, and her grievance alarmed the whole Wancheng City, but failed to get a glance from the lord in the yamen.

What an irony!

After the crowd, at the corner door of the yamen, a green sedan chair stopped. The person inside raised the curtain, and looked askance in the direction of this farce: "Shen Family really is arrogant!"

The moment these words came out, the people around him all knelt down in unison, not daring to say a word.

Xie Jie's eyes were cold, and he glanced at the Chief Eunuch who were being beside him, Zhou Zhong. Zhou Zhong immediately understood and went forward to lift the curtain for him and waited for him to get out of the palanquin, sighing in his heart.

His Majesty was making a private visit in trivial costume, and Shen Family were so wild, which was putting themselves in front of the gun.

Over there, Aghia's eyes were red, gently biting her lower lip, and sadly pulled out a bitter smile, suddenly putting down the drumstick and turning towards the crowd.

"I have a grievance! Sue the second son of the Shen Family forced rape of a virtuous girl! He carried off my sister on the street the day before yesterday, and threw her ... back into the courtyard afterwards. She was seriously injured and became a bloody person, and now she has a high fever and her life is at stake!"

She raised her voice, trying to make her voice travel a little farther. Her slender body in the cold wind looked very thin, having an indomitable momentum, like a red plum of the snow pressed branches.

Damn Shen Family!

Aghia took a deep breath, pointed one finger at the couplet of justice and law, addressed the crowd, and questioned angrily.

"My sister's life is at stake, but those who hurt her are free from justice, where is the justice? Where is the law?"

"Could it be that the Wancheng City and even the Great Xu, is surnamed Shen!"

This statement caused an uproar.

Who would have thought that a weak woman would dare to say such bold words?

The chief eunuch, Zhou Zhong, already had cold sweat on his forehead, and he hung his head as if he did not exist.

He thought in his heart "this insolent girl is really a pity, she was young but her life came to the end..." Meanwhile, his mouth opened: "Master, do we need ... "

Xie Jie's eyes have deepened, sneering: "What's the hurry! Afraid that people cannot see that you want to kill to silence?"

Before the words left his mouth, the man had already stepped over.

Aghia saw someone walking out, her heart jumped, held her breath and slowly looked up.

The man's clothes were so elegant that it was obvious that he was not an ordinary person, and the jade pendant at his side, which was exquisitely carved and of top quality, was an indication of the weight of his identity.

He approached straight, not avoiding Shen Family's momentum, and the corner of his lips hooked up which could not be said to be a smile or anger, cloudy and unpredictable.

Aghia pupils shrink slightly, almost immediately clenched her teeth, so as not to reveal herself.

It was him.

His Majesty of the Great Xu, the tyrant with a ruthless wrist who fought with his own hands to conquer this huge kingdom, the one Aghia has been waiting for a long time, and the only one who could confront the Shen Family in Wancheng City, to stand up for herself and Liu Nu.

Xie Jie had already approached her. Aghia fixed her mind and made a surprised look, and her eyes could not help but widen slightly, looking more and more brimming with emotion, just like a spring water.

She quickly knelt down with a determined tone: "I have a grievance! please do it for me, my lord!"

Xie Jie's boots stopped in front of her for a long time.

Xie Jie didn't know whether to laugh at her naivety or what.

He was magnanimous in not condemning her, and she wanted him to do her justice?

He ignored the strange feeling in his heart, snorted, then reached out his hand. His fingertips used some force to lift her chin, and just like this, unguarded, looked straight into Aghia's pure and clear eyes.

Xie Jie was stunned, frowned slightly, as if his heart was scratched by something, itchy, and inexplicably a sense of familiarity.

The woman in front of him, it seemed like every part of her looks to his liking. Even the tear marks at the corners of her eyes, he wanted to wipe off with his own hands.

Close to her, it seemed that even the head ailment that Imperial Academy of Medicine was at its wits' end, were much relieved.

"To redress your grievances?"

"Yes."

Aghia was in pain from the force of his grip, her delicate skin already showing red marks, and her eyes glistening with tears.

Her heart was beating like a drum, those violent love affairs of her past life came to her eyes one by one.

Aghia can't help but be a little scared. The feeling of losing oneself and being at the mercy of others was too gruesome.

But if she wanted to avenge herself and Liu Nu, getting closer to Xie Jie was the only way.

Aghia pressed down her fear, raised her eyes, and met his gaze without averting, her tone firm.

She had been with Xie Jie for so many years in her previous life, so she naturally knew what Xie Jie loved most. She adjusted her posture and gazed at him supplicatingly, her eyes brimming with light, like a spring water, which tried to inspire his compassion.

Xie Jie's eyes were dark, but his face was still unmoving, slowly and methodically crushing the white skin under his fingers.

As he moved, the many absurd and charming memories of her previous life with him seemed to be awakened in this instant.

A thin wisp of red floated up on Aghia's face, her ears tingled, and her waist had unconsciously gone soft.

Xie Jie gave a light laugh. He originally wanted to kill this bold woman, but now he changed his mind.

He slightly bent down, and in Zhou Zhong's astonished and frightened eyes, slowly spoke with a few meaningful.

"Alright. Just... what are you going to repay me with?"

What repayment?

Aghia was stunned, staring blankly at Xie Jie in front of her. His dark and obscure eyes could not be seen through, as if he was a ferocious beast that wanted to devour people.

This was a familiar gesture, and for some reason it reminded her of the tyrant Xie Jie from her previous life, who also pressed forward like this, making her almost unable to breathe.

Aghia lowered her eyes, thinking of the coarse linen clothes she was wearing and the money she was struggling to live on. For a moment she was at a loss, and embarrassment gradually appeared in her eyes.

What could she have to offer Xie Jie?

Before she could think of a decent answer, Xie Jie moved again.

He reached out, ran his fingertips slowly down her jade-like cheeks and up her dark hair, precisely found the branch of the red plum, and pulled it out bit by bit.

The hair scattered, Aghia's fair face became more and more thin and sickly, like a pear blooms in the rain, especially lovable.

Xie Jie did not look at her, but played with the red plum in his hand.

His voice was low and unmistakable, "It's mine."

The three words carried a great deal of momentum, causing Aghia's heart to jump and her pupils to shrink. She didn't know for a moment if Xie Jie was talking about the red plum or her.

Xie Jie has turned into the yamen, and Zhou Zhong then bent forward to help Aghia get up, his face piled with a pleasing smile: "Miss, your blessing has arrived, quickly follow our master inside."

He had been with His Majesty for many years, and had never seen His Majesty look at any woman in such a different light.

If this girl knew how to behave, she might be the next favored concubine in the palace.

Zhou Zhong raised the corners of his mouth so high that the folds on his face were piled up together, looking very flattering.

Aghia bit her lower lip and took a deep breath before slowly getting up and following him.

The magistrate's voice shouting for mercy came from the hall, and Aghia sarcastically narrowed her eyes.

In the previous life, the magistrate colluded with the Shen Family, aiding and abetting the evil-doer, leaving her with no way to sue.

In this life, the magistrate was in hurry to kowtow to Xie Jie and beg for forgiveness.

He wanted to get Xie Jie's forgiveness by admitting his mistakes, but she wouldn't let him have his way!

Xie Jie turned a deaf ear for the governor's plea for mercy and did not even raise his eyes. He sat at the top, the aura around no longer restrained, which pressed the hall a dead silence, even the sound of breathing was very light.

The smile on Zhou Zhong's face remained unchanged as he stepped forward and bowed to Xie Jie: "Your Majesty, the girl has arrived."

Aghia reacted, hung her head and kneeled down, and bowed respectfully, " Aghia, Greetings to Your Majesty."

But in her heart, she was secretly shocked. By calling him Your Majesty, Zhou Zhong was directly singling out Xie Jie's identity.

In this way, she should be more careful in her actions afterwards, not to fall into the suspicion of flattery.

Xie Jie stopped the movement of turning the rosewood rosary with his fingertips and raised his eyes slightly. He looked askance at Ahya, his face frosty, his tone cold and sullen, and seemed to contain a hidden killing intent: "The Northern Rong people?"

"Since we have arrived at the Great Xu, we are the Great Xu people." Aghia did not rush to explain, but obediently lowered her head, revealing her long white neck, and spoke weakly, "Your Majesty has decreed that all the people of the Great Xu, whether foreigners or not, who obey the law and the rules, are the people of the Great Xu, Isn't it?"

Aghia was clear about Xie Jie's suspicion.

The Northern Rong people looked different from the Great Xu people. Rather than conceal their identity as the Northern Rong people, leaving a handle for later, it was better to admit it openly.

Xie Jie did not answer, but just quietly looked at her.

Aghia's eyes were downcast. His oppressive gaze sent a slight chill down her back. She was a little scared, but she still stubbornly straightened her backbone.

The atmosphere in the hall was cold for a while, so quiet that people were suffocated.

After a long time, Xie Jie narrowed his eyes, the corners of his lips slightly hooked, his tone meaningful: "The Northern Rong beauty, name is not in vain."

The words carried a few teasing and ambiguous implications, causing Aghia's ears to burn slightly.

She looked at Xie Jie with a watery look, seemingly timid and shy, without saying anything, but the flow of her eyes showed all her charming.

Xie Jie twisted his fingertips, and his eyes flashed with a dangerous meaning.

He couldn't help but think in his heart: if he pinched on the pink shell-like earlobe, would he see her tears of fear while did not dare to lose etiquette?

He inexplicably felt itchy in his heart. Many bad thoughts that were inconvenient to say went through his mind, making his throat knot involuntarily move.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty spare my life - Your Majesty!"

The magistrate's ghostly voice came from the outside of the hall, breaking the ambiguous and inexplicable atmosphere.

Xie Jie withdrew his gaze and snorted, with a vague anger in his tone, glancing at the magistrate: "I haven't killed him yet, and he is crying himself to death first."

"Zhou Zhong, tell him to get his ass in here."

"Yes." Zhou Zhong hastily answered, waved his hand. Then two armor guards dragged the magistrate in and pressed him to the ground, ignoring the fact that his face was covered with snot and tears and he was in an embarrassing state.

Aghia turned face away and heard Xie Jie's cold voice, with the characteristic aura of the superior.

"The magistrate of Wancheng City is right in front of you. What is your grievance, say it."

Aghia closed her eyes and then opened with only sobriety and determination remained in her eyes. she stared at the magistrate and slowly recounted the events of Liu Nu once again, and by the end, her eyes were already red and contained tears.

The magistrate was scared out of his wits and only knew to beg for mercy to Xie Jie, "Your Majesty! I really do not know anything about it, I have no intention of covering it up!"

Aghia was so angry at his words that she clenched her teeth, anger burning in her eyes, and almost sneered out loud.

It turned out that Dengwen Drum rang and no one dared to answer, which was a misunderstanding. In her previous life, she had no way to sue. Until Liu Nu's tragic death, she failed to get a justice, which was also a misunderstanding.

Everything was a misunderstanding, and even the magistrate and Shen Family being in cahoots was all misunderstanding!

How was he worthy of being the magistrate?

Xie Jie did not deny it, turning the rosewood rosary in his hand, his eyes obscure. After a long time, he opened his mouth to Aghia, his tone unpredictable.

"Aghia, did you hear that?"

"You're just a civilian. Cross the line to sue, dead end." He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Aghia in a condescending manner, not hiding his interest, "But beauty is hard to find, if you withdraw your complaint now ... "

"There might be one more Consort in the palace."

It was as if it was self-evident how Aghia should choose. To die for a maid, or to enjoy all the glory and wealth.

She took a deep breath and, without hesitation, bowed heavily, her voice firm.

"I wish to die for justice to be done!"