The Fallen Empress, Put Your Hair Up!

Chapter 3: Puppet Master:

Bai Yuji was so infuriated by Qin Muye that she felt dizzy. She hadn’t expected him to still have the audacity to flirt with her at a time like this.

This man had a knack for finding people’s limits and then deliberately stepping over them.

She steadied herself and shot back, “What a pity! You’re fat, weak, and have dull eyes. I doubt any woman in the world could ever feel desire for you. In an ordinary family, you’d probably never lose your virginity. Not that you even have the ability to.”

Qin Muye: “???”

Why was she attacking him personally again?!

The original Qin Muye was truly something else. He had gained weight to donate marrow and save his father, which left his body in ruins—even exercising or losing weight was a struggle, let alone maintaining a strong physique. That was why he exuded no masculinity.

If he could slim down, he should actually be quite good-looking. His parents were both attractive, so he couldn’t be that bad.

But the reality was that he looked like this now, and there was no arguing against it.

A smile doesn’t appear or disappear out of thin air—it just transfers from one person’s face to another.

Qin Muye’s smile vanished, while Bai Yuji’s smile bloomed.

Watching this, he felt utterly frustrated. Once he returned to the capital, he had to find a way to detoxify himself.

Even though the poison was surely no ordinary one, his status was special. The emperor wouldn’t want him dead, and in the vast Great Qian Empire, there was no way a cure couldn’t be found.

Once he was cured, he would tie this woman up, teach her a lesson, and properly get his revenge.

As he planned in his mind, Bai Yuji suddenly took out another pill and swallowed it.

Noticing that the pill looked familiar, Qin Muye couldn’t help but ask, “That pill… why does it look just like the one I took earlier?”

Bai Yuji looked at him deeply, her expression unreadable, then chuckled. “This is our Nanzhao’s Twin Phoenix Gu. The male and female Gu parasites grow together from birth. If one dies, no matter how far apart, the other one will instantly perish as well.

Once refined into a pill, it merges with the blood at the heart upon ingestion. If the heart stops, the Gu will release a hundred types of deadly toxins.

From now on, our lives are tied together. Don’t even think about escaping me, and don’t doubt that I have the means to kill myself at any moment. I trust you understand what this means.”

Qin Muye: “…”

What kind of quantum entanglement was this?

So now, if either of them died, the other would die too?

Of course, he understood Bai Yuji’s intent. If they were bound together, then he couldn’t plot against her. In fact, if she were ever in danger, he would even have to protect her.

Too cunning.

But this also meant that she was restricting herself as well. Killing him would now come at too high a price.

And if he wasn’t afraid of death, then she was the one who would suffer the most.

Did she really think that by threatening his life, he would let her control him?

Ha… she truly understood him well.

It was clear that in her heart, killing Qin Kaijiang was her absolute priority.

Qin Muye found her terrifying yet pitiful. It was as if her only purpose in life was revenge. To her, everything—including the child she had planned to conceive—was merely a tool for vengeance.

And yet, despite her ruthlessness, she still had a sense of right and wrong.

She knew that some things were wrong.

And yet, she did them anyway.

Regardless, for Qin Muye, taking Twin Phoenix Gu was still better than being poisoned unilaterally.

At that moment, the glowing screen above Bai Yuji’s head flickered.

He focused and noticed the information had changed.

[Primary Fate: Puppet on a String] – The body is a puppet, the strings are vengeance, and the owner will be manipulated for life.

[Fate Rank] – Fifth Rank (99/320)

[Annotation] – Having realized she was betrayed, but still driven by hatred, she bound herself to the Marquis of Zhennan’s heir in life and death. Ultimately, she was left with no way forward or back, enraging the court, and dying in exile.

[Notice] – Fate fluctuation reached 557, unlocking the fate ability [Puppet Master] and granting 55.7 free attribute points.

[Puppet Master] – Mastery of puppetry techniques, allowing the absorption of other puppet arts to refine one’s own.

Qin Muye: “…”

Damn it, I knew this wouldn’t be simple.

Still, it looked like he had to keep working on her.

The Puppet Master ability seemed useful, but what about these free attribute points?

Just as he wondered about this, a new status window appeared in his mind.

[Name] – Qin Muye
[Physique] – Eighth Rank (-100/40)
[Soul] – Ninth Rank (7/20)
[Fate Skill] – Puppet Master
[Available Attribute Points] – 55.7

Qin Muye: “…”

If he remembered correctly, before donating his marrow, his cultivation had been Eighth Rank in martial arts and Ninth Rank in Daoist techniques.

After the marrow extraction, his vitality was drained, his energy stopped flowing, and his spirit weakened, causing both Physique and Soul to stagnate.

At first, he had felt lucky that his cultivation hadn’t dropped—but looking at it now, he was actually in debt.

So, if he used the free points on Physique, replenished his vitality, wouldn’t that mean he could become a real man again?

Qin Muye was tempted.

“You’re smiling again. Why?”

“Huh?”

Qin Muye snapped out of it and saw Bai Yuji frowning suspiciously at him.

His heart skipped a beat. He instantly abandoned his thoughts of restoring himself. If this woman found out, she might kill him first and use him later.

Until he found a way out, he had to hold back.

He forced a smile. “We’re heading back to the capital soon. Shouldn’t I be happy? When are we leaving?”

Bai Yuji’s gaze turned cold. She shook her head. “We’re not leaving.”

“Then… are we waiting here?”

“Waiting.”

Her tone was calm, but her words were an order. “Remember this: From now on, I am a reclusive doctor, and I saved you after running into your captors while collecting herbs.”

“And then?”

“That’s it.”

“That’s way too simplistic.”

“The more you make up, the more mistakes you make.”

Bai Yuji looked at him. “We don’t have personal grievances, and now we’re bound together. We should consider each other’s safety. I hope you’ll think rationally and not jeopardize both our lives.”

Qin Muye smiled. “Of course! Whatever you say, I’ll fully cooperate!”

Bai Yuji seemed thoughtful. “In that case, I have something I need you to do.”

Qin Muye was about to ask what, when—

She suddenly stepped over him and lay down beside him.

Tilting her head slightly, she ordered, “Hold me.”

Qin Muye: “…”

After hesitating for a moment, he wrapped an arm around her slender waist, its exquisite curve stirring his thoughts.

His hand instinctively drifted, only for Bai Yuji to pinch him hard.

He forced himself to behave, sighing inwardly.

Such a fine woman, what a shame.

He didn’t truly hate Bai Yuji. From her perspective, nothing she did was wrong.

But now, he was the Marquis of Zhennan’s heir. If he got the chance to eliminate her…

He wouldn’t hesitate.

But still, her body was so soft.

“Bai Yuji, what’s the point of this?”

“A village doctor aiming to marry a noble heir sounds more convincing. Once we return, I’ll spread the rumor that you want to marry me. But in public, you must deny it.”

“Fine.”

As he held her, Bai Yuji suddenly whispered, “The imperial court’s men are here. Get closer… mm?”

Her eyes widened in shock.

Did he just kiss her?!