Your Majesty - Chapter 29
She took a deep breath.
"Oh my! What beautiful little orchids! Where did you buy them, young master?"
The next instant, she tilted her head and looked at the orchid with a surprised expression, her voice clear and her smile sweet, utterly innocent and naive.
He Qinglu was slightly taken aback, not expecting her to play dumb.
"Did you see this clearly? This is what you gave to someone at the restaurant." His handsome, sword-like eyebrows furrowed. "A nine-petaled orchid made of Western Iron Silver, this is a tribute from Persia to the young master of the Moon Worship Cult, exclusively for him. Tell me! Who exactly are you to this demonic cult!"
With a swift movement, he locked Pang Wan's throat, and at the same time, with a clang, a pair of black iron shackles appeared from the wall behind the bed, binding her hands behind her back.
He gave her no chance to react or resist.
"How do you know this orchid is for the Moon Worship Cult?"
Pang Wan moved his wrists without making a sound and found that the shackles were extremely strong and there was no possibility of breaking free.
"Because this nine-petaled silver orchid is a mold I made."
With a flick of her finger, He Qinglu revealed a tiny "He" character faintly within the calyx of the flower in the candlelight.
"So what if I engraved your surname?" Pang Wan still retorted stubbornly. "These little orchids are everywhere. Who knows if other words were engraved on them, and together they might form an auspicious phrase like 'Happy New Year'? How did that become your doing?"
He Qinglu narrowed his eyes, and a smile slowly spread across his handsome face.
"You really don't know anything?" He looked her over meaningfully. "Looks like you're not much of a threat. Could it be that you stole this nine-petaled silver orchid?"
Pang Wan remained silent with a cold expression.
“Ginkgo flowers are everywhere, but this one is quite different.”
He Qinglu picked up a cup of tea, sprinkled some powder into it, and then added the nine-petaled silver orchid.
In a short while, the nine-petaled silver orchid turned black and curled up into a ball, as if its life force had been drained away in an instant, and it withered away.
"I just added arsenic." He Qinglu picked up the cup of tea and waved it in front of her nose. "Now do you understand?"
So these little orchids were used for testing for poison! Pang Wan was stunned.
Oh dear, Aunt Rong brought those ginkgo flowers back from somewhere. She gets a huge bag of them every year, but she's never really taken care of them and just throws them away carelessly, making her think they were some kind of initiation bonus. She never imagined they were actually a gift from someone to the Southern Barbarians! Aunt Rong, your carelessness has ruined Wanwan!
“I’ve been using it like loose silver all this time…” Pang Wan looked a little annoyed. This thing was a custom-made item, which could have been sold for a high price.
He Qinglu chuckled and then raised her hand to clamp her chin.
"Who exactly are you?" His voice was gentle and warm, yet it carried an irresistible pressure.
"...You want to know the truth?" With her hands bound and no hope of escape, Pang Wan could only force herself to look at him.
"Are you willing to tell the truth?" Another large, cold hand touched her, pinching her cheek. "Be careful, if I don't believe you, I'll stab your mouth with a nail." He Qinglu's expression was so sincere it was almost eerie.
"Speak, speak, speak—" With her face twisted from being pinched, Pang Wan tried her best to speak without uttering a sound, "Qi Su—goose is—the Holy Maiden of the Moon Worship Cult—"
After saying that, she closed her eyes, resigned to her fate.
—If I unfortunately die here today, I'll pray that I can be reborn in a matriarchal society in my next life. Long live Mary Sue!
Unexpectedly, after several seconds, the large hand on his throat remained motionless, and the person opposite him did not gasp as he had anticipated; his breathing was steady as if he was still waiting for what was to come.
Pang Wan quietly lifted one eyelid.
She noticed that He Qinglu was frowning and staring at her.
So, emboldened, he lifted up the other one.
Don't try to fool me!
When He Qinglu saw her open her eyes, a dismissive sneer appeared on her face, her eyes filled with chilling intent.
"With your pathetic, incompetent appearance, you think you can impersonate that ruthless, deadly enchantress?!" he scoffed. "If you are the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Sect, then I am the Jade Emperor!"
The situation took an unexpected turn. Pang Wan, unsure whether to feel sorrow or joy, could only swallow hard and add, "...the maid."
"Just as I thought." He Qinglu released her hand from pulling her cheek, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. "You really are a member of the Moon Worship Cult."
With his identity kept secret, Pang Wan felt a mix of emotions and reluctantly hummed in agreement—Am I really that weak? Do I really look that weak? You don't really look like the Jade Emperor either!
"Since you can serve that demoness, your status must not be too low—I've heard that your demonic sect has many strange and unusual things?"
He Qinglu's next sentence left Pang Wan completely bewildered.
"A strange thing?" Pang Wan repeated his words.
He Qinglu narrowed her eyes, slipping a hand into her sleeve: "Like this."
He took out a dark red flaming needle.
"How did you know!" Pang Wan was shocked and instinctively raised her foot to kick him.
Her legs were grabbed halfway through the journey. He Qinglu stared intently at her, his amber pupils gradually darkening: "What other strange weapons do you have? Show them to me, the more vicious the better."
Pang Wan shuddered upon hearing this. Could it be that this Young Master He is a masochist?
After hesitating for a long time, she bit her lower lip and stammered, "If you don't mind, I have a golden whip at my waist. This whip is strong and flexible, and very powerful. If you really like it, I...I..." Her face burned red, and her voice was so soft that she could no longer continue.
Without saying a word, He Qinglu bent down and reached for Pang's waist.
Unfortunately, the golden whip was wrapped very tightly, and the joint was very well hidden. He had to grope and explore for a while, which made Pang Wanhua giggle and tremble: "Ouch, it itches! It itches! Stop touching me!"