She could only give it her all and leave the rest to fate.
Qiao Xiaoxian’s consciousness had already connected to the Underworld Province Cauldron.
Emperor Jing sat with narrowed eyes, indifferently watching rows of eunuchs having their throats slit before him.
The warm blood was quickly frozen by the midwinter chill, and a Knife-like cold wind blew the scent of blood throughout the Palace City.
Emperor Jing liked this New Year’s gift; slowly torturing that so-called Number One Assassin to death and admiring the sight of the opponent struggling in fear filled his heart with a sense of accomplishment.
“No! It must be eaten while it’s hot!” A howl overflowing with zeal amidst anxiety suddenly came from outside the Palace City, “The Supreme Emperor must eat it while it’s hot!”
The warmth in those words seemed to completely disperse the bone-chilling cold.
The veins on Emperor Jing’s forehead throbbed wildly as he glared at the fellow outside the wall who lacked a few brain cells and was completely unaware of the atmosphere here.
“Let him in. I want to see what important matter Tiandeng Ma、ster、Chef has to discuss.”
Emperor Jing emphasized the words Master Chef, his tone clearly blaming Tiandeng for his audacious behavior.
Unfortunately, Tiandeng really did lack a few brain cells; he completely failed to hear the meaning in Emperor Jing’s words and instead ran before him cheerfully carrying a food box.
“Reporting to the Supreme Emperor, this box contains the best dish in heaven and earth; even the Heavens themselves are greedy for it!”
“Oh?” Emperor Jing sneered. Naturally, he didn’t believe a dish could be that good. Regarding Tiandeng’s foolish behavior of interrupting his mood, his mind had already come up with hundreds of tortures to give Tiandeng a surprise.
“Please hurry and taste it while it’s hot,” Tiandeng opened the food box and looked at Emperor Jing expectantly.
As the Imperial Dining Officer of the Shangshi Bureau, Tiandeng was quite familiar with the Emperor’s dining procedures.
At this time, gold and silver utensils and a poison tester were already prepared in the food box; the dishes were a Braised Fish and half a portion of Smashed Cucumber.
For the Emperor’s daily meals, these two dishes in the food box were simple to the point of being an insult.
Emperor Jing was furious and raised his hand to order those Black-armored Imperial Guards to execute Tiandeng, but as his hand was halfway up, a wisp of steaming vapor from the food box drifted to the tip of his nose.
Emperor Jing took a sniff and then shuddered violently.
His hand gripped the chopsticks as if possessed; by the time he came to his senses, he was suddenly terrified.
His own experienced imperial will, which had seen much and slaughtered countless over the years, had actually fallen for the Dao of a Braised Fish and Smashed Cucumber without him even realizing it?!
He completely couldn’t control his own hand!
“Forget it,” Emperor Jing couldn’t help but feel a bit of curiosity.
He reluctantly extended his chopsticks and picked up a small piece of Fish meat.
“Since the beloved official has such a zealous heart, I cannot bear to let it go to waste. I shall give it a taste…”
Taste the Fish, but he would absolutely never touch such inferior food like Smashed Cucumber.
Emperor Jing’s gaze held three parts disdain, three parts contempt, and four parts reluctance.
Then, he proudly and elegantly raised his hand and brought the piece of Fish meat to his mouth.
He chewed.
He chewed.
He remained silent, frowning as he extended his chopsticks to pick up a second piece of Fish meat.
He closed his eyes, chew, chew.
The scene was very eerie.
Not far from Emperor Jing’s feet were the cold and stiff corpses of the eunuchs.
The scent of blood still echoed in the courtyard, but within this bloody smell was mixed a hint of the savory aroma of the Braised Fish.
Anyone would find it difficult to savor delicious food in such a setting, yet Emperor Jing seemed to have forgotten what had just happened here.
He placed the food container on his lap without a care for his image, lowered his head, and shoveled in one mouthful after another.
No one dared to speak; the crowd of Black-armored Imperial Army could only look at each other in confusion while salivating at the savory aroma in the air.
Emperor Jing’s movements to pick up meat became faster and faster; the chopsticks gradually whipped out afterimages, stirring up a breeze within the Palace City.
He still wore that proud and disdainful expression, and his eating movements were also incomparably elegant, but his speed was explosive.
Soon, the entire Braised Fish was picked clean until only the skeleton remained.
His brow furrowed, and relying on his agile mind and powerful decision-making skills honed from years of military campaigns, he made a prompt decision—to eat the fish bones dipped in sauce too.
However, when he placed the fish bones in his mouth and chewed them carefully, he felt a boom in his mind, as if a Victory Gate to a new world had opened before him!
It turned out the essence of this entire Braised Fish was hidden within the bones!
These fish bones had long been broken down from their original hard and prickly structure by some strange energy, becoming tender, crispy, mellow, and delicious!
If he had followed conventional thinking by eating the meat and discarding the bones, he would have missed this final step of exquisite enjoyment… and at this moment, slowly chewing the fish bones, his heart was filled with a deep sense of surprise and accomplishment!
Is the Supreme Emperor insane?
The Black-armored Imperial Army stared blankly at Emperor Jing’s undignified way of eating, not even letting go of the tiniest fish bone in the soup, their hearts in total disarray.
What kind of dish could make the strongest Emperor in the human world, who had tasted all the delicacies on earth, discard his dignity and refuse to let go of even a single fish bone in full view of everyone?
Having witnessed the Supreme Emperor in such an unseemly state, would they be silenced to keep the secret?
He spent a bit more time chewing the fish bones, and by now, the sauce at the bottom of the plate had cooled.
Emperor Jing stared at the sauce on the plate and struggled for a long time, his hollow gaze full of loss and reluctance.
Suddenly, his face turned ferocious, and he abruptly picked up the plate!
“Gulp, gulp, gulp…”
After finishing the entire plate of sauce in one go, Emperor Jing stuck out his tongue and began to lick the bottom of the plate under the terrified gazes of the Black-armored Imperial Army, licking the entire plate until it was shiny and bright, looking brand new.
Finally, two lines of Jing light slid from the corners of his eyes.
He murmured.
“Is that it?”
His peripheral vision glanced at the plate of Smashed Cucumber in the food box, his hand holding the chopsticks trembling.
No, this kind of lowly food…
He had just sworn not to touch this trash.
A monarch does not joke!
With a bang, he closed the lid of the food box, Emperor Jing’s gaze firm.
—It’s fine, anyway, Smashed Cucumber is a cold dish, so it doesn’t matter if it’s cold. It can be a late-night snack in the Book of Life room at night, and no one will be able to see.
He gave a dry cough and raised a handkerchief to elegantly wipe the corners of his mouth.
“Beloved official Tiandeng, I know your skills are still far from this level,” Emperor Jing suddenly looked at Tiandeng with a smile like a spring breeze.
“So, where did these dishes come from?”
“I am ashamed to say that this dish came from the hands of a young master,” Tiandeng lowered his head.
Emperor Jing’s heart suddenly tightened: “Then, can the beloved official still find that master?”
“This humble official does not know either,” Tiandeng shook his head in shame. “This humble official does not know her name…”
“No need to look,” Qiao Xiaoxian suddenly gave a brilliant smile. “I know who she is.”
Emperor Jing’s expression changed, and a vast killing intent suddenly erupted, pressing down on Qiao Xiaoxian like a lid.
But Qiao Xiaoxian was completely unafraid; the Slaughterous Aura on her body was not in the least bit weaker than Emperor Jing’s, and even surpassed him!
“That is my wife,” Qiao Xiaoxian said softly.