TFRLTOP Chapter 71 Part 1

Chapter 71 – The Tyrant’s Beloved 

◎ Maybe we should just die together ◎

The damn paint wouldn’t come off.
The vines and blossoms curling up her neck reached all the way to her chin, and none of the silk scarves Ming Ming tried could hide them.
That dog of an emperor had definitely done it on purpose — keeping her locked inside.

“The emperor’s man just turned traitor,” the system reported in real time.

“What?”

“Oh, you don’t know him — Zhou Changzun. The emperor trusted him quite a bit.”

“Who’d he betray?”

“Jiang Ruotian.”

Ming Ming hesitated. “Is he… talented or something?”

“Not really.”

She was just starting to relax when the system added casually:
“Well, except that the emperor handed him half the military command.”

“What—what?!”

Her vision went dark. “So… we’re doomed?”

“Pretty much. The heroine used to lead ragtag troops, but now she’s got the real army. The male lead’s been losing battle after battle.”

“Why would that Zhou guy betray him?” Ming Ming’s heart raced. “Can Li He hold on?”

“That’s the thing — you know what he’s like. You’re the only exception. Everyone else is just ants to him, no matter how loyal. In his eyes, there are only two kinds of people — those already executed, and those waiting to be.
Classic villain setup. Of course, the story has to bring down divine justice on him eventually.”

Ming Ming said quietly, “If your systems are so righteous, why don’t you just censor the indecent parts out?”

“…We do get censored every time!” the system protested, sounding wounded. “It’s you humans who keep writing things so filthy!”

For days, Ming Ming didn’t see the Emperor.
Sometimes, late at night, she could sense him slip into bed beside her — his arm curling around her for a brief rest before dawn pulled him away again.
If she slept deeply enough, she wouldn’t even know he’d come and gone.

That evening, though, he came early.
“My love, do you want to leave the palace tonight?”

“Out of nowhere? I thought you banned me from going outside.”

He smiled. “It’s the Qixi Festival — there are lanterns and fireworks outside the palace.”

The idea immediately lit up her eyes. She did want to go out.

Despite the distant wars, the capital still basked in a fragile peace.
The streets were alive — young couples lighting floating lotus lanterns, whispering wishes into the warm night.

Ming Ming tugged him along. “Come on, let’s float one too.”

She crouched by the riverbank and gently set two lotus lanterns adrift, watching them drift away downstream.

Behind her, the Emperor stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
When she straightened and smiled at him, she said, “I wonder where they’ll end up?”

(In truth, the lower river had a net to catch them — but he said anyway:)
“May they drift… to the place where we grow old together. Would that be all right?”

Lantern light flickered across their faces, and from a distance, they looked like a painting.

“W-who wants to grow old with you…” she mumbled, blushing.

Then — chaos.

“Protect Their Majesties!” Gao Fu shouted.

The Emperor grabbed Ming Ming, pulling her toward cover.

Amid the confusion, she whispered to the system, “Is it Jiang Ruotian?”

“No — some remnants of the old dynasty. They’re small fry, though. After this, they’ll probably never rise again.”

“So next it’s just Jiang Ruotian versus Li He, one-on-one?”

“Assuming Jiang makes it to the capital alive… or Li He survives long enough to face her. Odds favor Jiang.”

Ming Ming’s heart pounded. Everything was spinning.

The Emperor kept her shielded in his arms, eyes sharp and scanning the danger.

Then—an arrow whistled through the air.
His gaze flicked up; in the next instant, he shoved her aside.

“Ah!” Ming Ming hit the ground and looked back—
The arrow was buried in his chest.

“Li He!”

A second attacker lunged.
With a snarl, the Emperor snapped off the arrow’s shaft and drove it into the man’s throat.

Blood splattered.
He seized the moment, pulling Ming Ming to her feet and diving into the nearest carriage as guards surrounded them, rushing back toward the palace.

“Your wound…” she whispered, terrified.

He tried to smile but winced. “I knew tonight wouldn’t be peaceful. Still… I wanted you to see the festival. Pity we missed the fireworks.”

“You’re bleeding and that’s what you’re worried about?” Ming Ming’s voice shook with anger. “You knew it was dangerous and still dragged us out! What happened to all that commanding swagger of yours?”

“I’ve already arranged estates and lands for you,” he murmured. “If I die… live well. You’ll never want for anything.”

It sounded like a farewell.
“No! Stop talking!” she cried, shaking her head.

He drew a shallow, ragged breath.
“Keep them safe… even if your sisters mean you no harm, it’s still my will for you. Promise me you won’t waste it.”

For the first time, she saw something like pleading in his eyes.

Her voice cracked. “Don’t act pitiful! You can’t die — you’re the male lead, damn it!”
Her vision blurred with tears. “We’re almost back to the palace. You’ll be fine. You have to be fine…”

The Emperor gazed up at the shaking roof of the carriage.
He barely felt pain anymore — maybe the blood loss had numbed him.
But watching her cry made him oddly proud.

Look at that. My beloved… is crying for me.

Why is she crying?

He reached out, brushing her tears away. “Don’t cry. Not here. I only want to see you cry in bed. I’m sorry…”

She caught his hand, pressing it to her cheek.
“Even now you’re still joking—Li He! Li He!”

He went limp in her arms.

When he woke again, Ming Ming was dozing beside the bed, head propped on her hand.
The soft rustle of movement startled her awake, and she immediately called for the imperial physician.

While the doctor examined him, she stood quietly by, watching every motion, calm but intent.
She didn’t speak, but she listened carefully to every instruction.

The Emperor looked at her composed face and thought, Guess the wound wasn’t serious enough. She’s not even that worried.

When the physician left, she sat down beside him. “Are you hungry? I’ll have someone bring porridge.”

Gao Fu chimed in, “Your Majesty, you were unconscious for five days. Her Ladyship hasn’t left your side once. She’s hardly eaten or slept. Please, persuade her to rest.”

The Emperor froze, then looked closer — the faint shadows under her eyes were real.

He reached up and touched her cheek. “You’ve lost weight.”

Her eyes went red. She leaned forward and hugged him.

He wrapped his arms around her, thinking, Worth it. All of it.

“It’s all right. I’m all right.”

But another thought crept in.