The Fallen Empress, Put Your Hair Up!

Chapter 1: No Way:

Qin Muye woke up from pain. Although he had regained consciousness, he didn’t even have the strength to open his eyes.

Every muscle in his body felt unbearably stiff, as if his entire body was about to fall apart, while something was being forcibly injected into him. A surge of scorching heat was pouring into his body at a frenzied pace.

Wasn’t I supposed to be in the ICU after getting hit by a drunk driver?

Did I transmigrate?

Where the hell did I end up?

Qin Muye panicked for a moment, but he quickly realized that the streams of heat seemed to be entering from his back. As soon as they surged into his body, they swiftly spread through his limbs, dispelling the near-death sensation he had been experiencing.

From the chaotic fragments of memory, he understood that this energy was called True Essence.

He let out a breath of relief. As long as it wasn’t something else, it was fine.

In his daze, a voice sounded from behind him.

“Hold on!”

“Think of your parents!”

“Think of your future!”

The voice belonged to a mature woman. It was pleasant to the ear, yet filled with urgency.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but the feeling of impending death finally faded, and Qin Muye fell into a deep slumber.

It was a restless and shallow sleep, but within that chaos, he managed to piece together the memories of this life.

His name in this life was also Qin Muye. His father was the Marquis of Zhennan of the Great Qian Empire, the Grand Marshal of the Expulsion Campaign, and the Protector-General of Annan. For over ten years, his father had led an elite force of over a hundred thousand soldiers to guard the border, keeping the southern tribes and demons in check.

Meanwhile, Qin Muye had stayed in the capital in his father’s stead. Though his position was delicate, his life had been fairly comfortable.

Before he lost consciousness, he had been composing poetry aboard the Prime Minister’s son’s pleasure boat.

So how did I pass out?

And how did I end up here?

The way his body had stiffened earlier felt unnatural—almost like rigor mortis. It was highly likely that he had already died once.

Even though his soul had been replaced, without the woman’s intervention just now, he would have certainly perished for good.

Qin Muye rubbed his forehead and struggled to prop himself up.

Looking around, he found himself in a cave. Outside, the sound of rain pattered against the trees and leaves. Inside, a bonfire burned brightly, keeping the cave warm and roasting an aromatic chicken that made his stomach growl.

Underneath him was a bed of dry grass that smelled faintly of soil.

He was covered with a thick, warm black robe.

“You’re awake?”

At the entrance of the cave, a woman holding wild fruits looked at him in surprise and delight.

She was stunningly beautiful and wore only a thin, damp undergarment that clung to her skin, outlining her full and curvaceous figure in a way that left nothing to the imagination.

Qin Muye felt a little dizzy. He hadn’t expected his savior to be so breathtakingly beautiful and kind-hearted.

Unfortunately, the scene didn’t last long. The woman quickly removed her wet garment and hung it on a wooden rack near the fire, leaving only her underclothes as she continued tending to the roasted chicken.

Under the flickering firelight, her fair skin seemed almost dazzling, forcing Qin Muye to look away.

What a radiant display of human kindness!

He swiftly averted his gaze and cupped his hands toward her in gratitude. “Thank you for saving my life, miss!”

“A righteous person helps when they see injustice. It’s only natural,” the woman replied, completely unfazed by her state of undress. She placed the wild fruits beside him, then picked up the roasted chicken and sat down with a smile. “Eat quickly. Once you’ve eaten and rested, your body should recover.”

As she spoke, she leaned forward slightly, her ample chest nearly spilling out.

The aroma of roasted chicken was incredibly enticing, making his mouth water.

The chicken itself was plump and juicy, equally tempting.

However, Qin Muye suddenly shivered and instinctively scooted backward. Something about this chicken felt off.

Noticing his reaction, the woman’s smile instantly faded. With a sharp clang, she pulled out a dagger from somewhere, her voice turning ice-cold.

“Eat.”

Qin Muye: “…”

This woman was definitely not an ordinary person.

At first, he had simply assumed that she was his kind-hearted savior.

But for someone to abduct the Marquis of Zhennan’s heir from the capital, they couldn’t possibly be weak.

How strong did she have to be to kidnap and rescue someone like him?

A warrior of that caliber wouldn’t waste her time seducing a useless man like him for no reason.

At this moment, the woman was holding the roasted chicken in one hand and a dagger in the other.

Qin Muye had never been threatened like this before, and anger surged within him. He gritted his teeth and said indignantly:

“Fine! I’ll eat!”

The chicken was fragrant, infused with the rich scent of medicinal herbs.

It satisfied both hunger and cravings, yet something hidden within made Qin Muye feel uneasy.

With no power to resist, he had no choice but to eat while sneakily stealing a few more glances at the woman.

Just as he looked at her head, something flashed before his eyes. A translucent screen appeared above her head.

[Primary Fate—Puppet on a String]: The body is a puppet, and resentment is the thread. Controlled by others for life.

[Fate Rank]: Fourth Rank (336/640)

[Annotation]: Deceived into plotting a rebellion against the Marquis of Zhennan, using his blood relatives in a sacrificial curse. Betrayed by her own accomplices, her plan failed, her identity was exposed, and she was pierced by arrows until death. Her entire family was exterminated.

[Note]: If fate fluctuation exceeds 500, she can acquire the fate ability Puppet Master.

…Is this a cheat ability?

Qin Muye was stunned. Before he could fully process it, the woman’s displeased voice rang out.

“What are you smiling at?”

“Huh?”

Qin Muye touched the corner of his lips. Sure enough, he had unknowingly started grinning.

When a man stares at a beautiful woman without restraint, something tends to rise.

So, he simply smiled even wider, making his expression more enigmatic.

Even if he had no plan yet—acting mysterious always worked first!

Sure enough.

His cryptic smile annoyed the woman even more. She narrowed her eyes and repeated, “What exactly are you smiling at?”

Qin Muye: “…”

Hell if I know why I’m smiling!

He remained silent, keeping up his mysterious smile, while his mind raced for a way out of this mess.

The woman had been extremely anxious when saving him earlier, clearly not wanting him to die. Yet, the original Qin Muye had died—completely and utterly, with his soul scattered. The text in the translucent screen mentioned that her accomplices had sabotaged the mission, leading to failure. So… was it her own people who had killed him?

Her patience ran out. She placed the dagger against his neck, her tone becoming dangerously cold. “Tell me! What exactly are you laughing at?”

Qin Muye took a deep breath and, without any panic, replied, “A smile is, of course, a sign of gratitude. Though your companions nearly killed me, you did, in fact, save me. No one can deny that.

Since you saved me, that is a great favor.

If you need something from me, just say it directly. I, Qin Muye, will do my best to cooperate.”

A flicker of surprise flashed in her eyes. She hadn’t expected him to figure out so much in such a short time. Not only was he unafraid, but he even seemed to be trying to sow discord.

The coldness in her gaze eased slightly. “What if I want your life?”

Qin Muye chuckled. “I already died once. This life technically belongs to you now. If you want it, how could I possibly refuse? However, I do have one question—may I ask for clarification?”

“Speak!”

“Kidnapping someone from the capital isn’t something a single person can accomplish. Your accomplices must be quite skilled. I don’t know why you saved me, but your companions must know. If that’s the case, then why did they…”

“You’re trying to drive a wedge between us?” she interrupted sharply. “Stir up conflict so I’ll let you go?”

Qin Muye hadn’t expected her to react so quickly, but he wasn’t embarrassed. “You can call it sowing discord, or you could just say it’s logical reasoning. Someone wants to harm me, and someone wants to harm you as well. If I help you settle your grievances, while securing a path to survival for myself—why not?”

“You think you have a chance of staying alive?”

“How would I know if I don’t try?”

“Fair enough!”

Suddenly, she changed the subject. “Just now, you kept saying you wanted to thank me. But after all this time, you haven’t even asked for my name. Where’s the sincerity in that?”

Qin Muye smiled apologetically. “That was indeed rude of me. May I ask for your name, miss?”

A mocking smile curled on her lips. “Bai Yuji! Bai, as in the Bai royal family of Nanzhao.”

Qin Muye: “…”

His heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

Eight years ago, his father, Qin Kaijiang, had been ordered by Emperor Qian to annihilate the rebellious Nanzhao Kingdom and had completely wiped out the Bai royal family.

Shit. Blood feud.

So much for sowing discord!

His brain spun rapidly. “So your plan is to kill me, frame the imperial court, and force my father to rebel?”

“You’re not entirely stupid.”

“My father has many sons. If one heir dies, he can simply appoint another. Surely, you don’t think he’d be foolish enough to—”

“If it were any of your other brothers, he might not revolt. But if it’s you, he definitely will!”

“Why?”

“Back then, when Qin Kaijiang slaughtered my royal family, he was gravely wounded—so badly that he would have died. The only way to save him was through a marrow transplant from a blood relative. However, your brothers were too young, their bodies too weak.

Only you had the determination to force-feed yourself medicinal pills, gain dozens of pounds, and strengthen your physique just so you could extract your own marrow to save your father.

Though this ruined your talent and reduced you to mediocrity, it earned you the title of heir. The Hundred Thousand Expulsion Army recognizes you as their Young General.

If it’s confirmed that the imperial court killed you, your father’s rebellion will become a certainty. If he doesn’t rebel, how will he command his troops?”

“…”

Qin Muye felt a deep sense of despair.

Damn. This woman had done her homework.

His predecessor’s personality had been a bit twisted, but that act? That was some real guts. No wonder the soldiers of the Expulsion Army revered him so much.

So… I’m definitely dead today?

Bai Yuji’s eyes gleamed with an eerie intensity. “Your filial sacrifice—I deeply admire it. However, a blood feud can never be forgiven. Therefore—”

“So you wish to kill me. I can understand that…”

“So I want to have your child!”

“…Huh?”

Qin Muye was stunned.

That sharp turn in the conversation nearly made his brain short-circuit.

Bai Yuji’s twisted smile deepened. “By refining a fetus into a Gu parasite, I can curse three generations of your direct bloodline. Once Qin Kaijiang falls into chaos, I will kill him, and then take my own life before your grave to atone for my sins.”

Qin Muye couldn’t hold it in anymore. “You crazy woman—!”

Bai Yuji suddenly removed her underclothes, leaned in, and cupped Qin Muye’s face with both hands, making sure his eyes stayed locked on her.

He didn’t know if it was excitement from seeing her revenge within reach or shame from exposing herself, but her body was tense.

Her voice trembled slightly. “Do you… find me beautiful?”

Qin Muye suddenly felt a burning heat in his abdomen.

That damn roast chicken.

That wasn’t food—it was a trap!

His body started reacting involuntarily. “To be honest, if we set aside our blood feud, you perfectly match my taste in women.”

A hint of pleasure flashed across Bai Yuji’s eyes.

But after probing for a moment, she suddenly became furious. “Then why isn’t your body… responding!?”

Qin Muye grinned mischievously.

“My marrow extraction damaged my vitality.

Surprise! I’m completely useless!”

Bai Yuji: “???”