Chapter 90: Empress Dowager: "Want to Be the Second Most Powerful Man?" Empress: "Would a Widow Be Interested?" (4)
The guards, though slightly puzzled, still nodded in agreement.
Tang Xuan listened to their conversation and heard the door close. Instead of feeling despair, he was secretly delighted.
The top floor was more of a lounge than a prison cell.
Sitting up there, one could see the distant scenery—and naturally, he could see his sister-in-law too!
What a stroke of luck!
Two female guards escorted a voluptuous beauty to the rooftop, one on each side.
After saluting, they turned and left without hesitation.
It seemed that in this place, only the two of them remained.
From the dark dungeon to seeing the sky again, the widow let out a soft, pained whimper.
She covered her eyes with one hand, struggling to adjust to the harsh sunlight above.
But she did not close them completely. Her half-lidded gaze seemed to be appraising the young man before her.
Her complexion was pale and unhealthy, making her look quite haggard.
Yet even so, her breathtaking beauty remained undiminished, instead giving her a fragile charm.
Yes, she looked just like a delicate, helpless noblewoman!
Around her slender wrists were heavy shackles, reddening her fair skin.
Even the simple motion of raising her hand to shield herself from the sun seemed to drain her strength. Her legs trembled lightly.
As if in the next moment, she would lose control of her body and collapse to the ground.
Su Qing carefully examined the widow from head to toe, appreciation flickering in his eyes.
Despite enduring hardship, her beauty had not diminished in the slightest.
On the contrary, she was now even more pleasing to the eye—absolutely stunning!
Her torn white silk stockings wrapped around her trembling legs, exposing patches of her pristine skin through the damaged fabric.
Her loose, flowing hair cascaded down her back, with a few strands brushing against her face in the wind.
Without a doubt, she was the epitome of a pitiful yet mesmerizing young widow.
Just looking at her, it was difficult to associate her with the word "rebel."
Hidden in the shadows, Tang Xuan also took in the scene, momentarily stunned.
He never imagined that his sister-in-law would be this breathtaking!
Her beauty was second only to his master and his first love, making his heart race instantly.
At this moment, Tang Xuan was more determined than ever to save her.
From now on, they would rely on each other for survival. How could he not give his all?
As he silently vowed in his heart, he suddenly saw Su Qing raise his hand.
Under Tang Xuan's gaze, those filthy hands reached out and pinched his sister-in-law's cheek!
He seemed to use quite a bit of force, as a red mark instantly appeared on her fair skin.
The contrast between red and white was stark, making the mark all the more prominent.
On the top floor.
"Don't just stand there staring at me like that. It's quite disrespectful, you know?"
Su Qing chuckled.
One hand rested on her shoulder and gently pressed downward.
The widow's silk-clad legs trembled slightly, but in the end, she lost all strength.
She collapsed to the ground, letting out a soft, panting breath.
"Your skin is quite well maintained. Even after suffering a bit, it's still so smooth and tender."
Su Qing looked down at the widow with a condescending gaze, gently kneading her face.
His eyes carried an appraising look, as if examining a precious treasure.
The widow's name was Nong Ying.
She had barely married before facing the massacre of her entire household.
Even so, she remained steadfast in her loyalty and refused to submit.
Though she gradually developed feelings for the protagonist, she always maintained a respectful distance, holding firm to her identity.
By all accounts, she was a virtuous character.
With so many appealing qualities, she had driven countless players mad with desire, keeping them awake at night.
The frustration of wanting but never obtaining—who could understand that pain?
As the saying goes, the unattainable is always the most desirable.
Because of her tragic past and unwavering resolve, she became the 'white moonlight' in the hearts of countless players.
A perfect dream, wasn't it?
That is, until the mid-story reveal, when her true arc unfolded, exposing the developers' cunning intentions.
At that moment, Su Qing and countless players were utterly shattered.
In short—
The fool had been me all along!
What widow? What sister-in-law? It was all a lie!
This woman's identity was far from ordinary; she had simply been acting the entire time!
Su Qing let out a chuckle at the thought.
But times had changed. Now that he knew the script, he wouldn't be fooled again.
This self-righteous woman was only here to extract information from him.
He was all too familiar with such tricks.
In fact, he enjoyed it when these so-called goddesses thought they could manipulate him—only to end up trapped themselves.
If more of them tried, life would be so much easier for him!
"Please… release me…"
Nong Ying felt the brazen touch on her face and tried to raise her hand in resistance.
But she had no strength left. The shackles weighed heavily upon her, restraining her completely.
She could only look up at Su Qing with a gaze full of grievance and helplessness, using it as her final means of protest.
Could such an expression make her tormentor feel guilty?
Most of the time, yes.
When faced with such an exquisite beauty, even the cruelest of men might find patience.
But unfortunately, Su Qing was not one of them.
He knew exactly what kind of woman she truly was. Why would he feel sympathy?
If anything, bullying her was even more enjoyable.
So, you like acting weak?
You like deceiving players?
You enjoy playing hard to get?
Well then, I'll have to break those bad habits!
Su Qing increased the pressure, stroking the woman's head as if she were nothing more than a pet.
His fingers lightly traced her soft lips, a wicked smile forming on his face.
The resentment from his past life was finally getting some release—he nearly let out a villainous laugh.
Hidden in the shadows, Tang Xuan clenched his fists, his pupils trembling.
This fiend was utterly depraved! How could he bring himself to do this?
His poor sister-in-law couldn't even support the weight of her shackles, yet this villain was smiling?
He looked young, but he was rotten to the core!
Little did Tang Xuan know, this was only the beginning.
"I'm actually quite fond of delicate beauties… as long as they behave."
"Now, tell me your name. Let's see how cooperative you can be."
As Su Qing spoke, he gently lifted her chin.
Her wide eyes shimmered with fragility and panic, as if she were completely at his mercy.
But deep within, hidden beneath the surface, there was calm.
She wasn't nearly as helpless as she appeared.
"Nong Ying… I don't know why you have taken me…" she whispered weakly.
"You should already know why you're here," Su Qing responded. "There's no need to act in front of me."
"I'm sure someone has already questioned you—where is that place?"
Su Qing's voice carried a hint of menace.
"I don't know what you're talking about! Why are you doing this to me?" Nong Ying cried out, struggling once more.
This time, her resistance was stronger.
She even managed to break free from Su Qing's grasp.
Before she could stand, she desperately tried to crawl toward the door.
But she had barely moved a few inches before she was yanked back by her leg, dragged mercilessly to the ground once more.