Deceiving the Emperor

A fussy but ruthless assassin X a brutal tyrant who never says what he really thinks

Bai Feihan is an assassin trained by the State of Yan. Poisonous heart-devouring parasites were planted in her when she was young, and she was trained in the art of seduction. She is sent to the King of Chu, Pei You, as a gift, waiting for the right moment to assassinate him.

She has a graceful figure and striking beauty, and is confident she can carry out her mission flawlessly, playing Pei You like putty in her hands.

But the tyrant is sinister, cruel, and ruthless in every way, yet has no interest in women at all. When Bai Feihan approaches him, he holds her off with his sword. Once she gets on his nerves, he sends someone to deliver her a cup of poison.

Who would have thought Bai Feihan would pour out the poison and beat up the person who brought it?

When the court officials hear about this, they all think Bai Feihan is outrageously insolent and deserves to be executed.

But Pei You, having enjoyed a rare bit of peace these past few days, decides to spare her for now.

Who could have known that she would become even bolder, using a powerful potion to give the tyrant, who had never known a woman's touch, his first taste.

The next day, the officials line up for court, but the king, who normally attends every morning, never shows. They do not get their king, but they do receive an edict appointing Bai Feihan as his Noble Consort.

The officials: She's a wicked consort, a wicked consort!

Pei You knows Bai Feihan is a fox with honeyed words and a dagger hidden in her heart. Out of a longing for a moment's tenderness, he uses every means at his disposal to keep her by his side. And this fox seems to have fallen for him, too, telling him everything about her past.

But a fox is still a fox. The day Bai Feihan wounds Pei You, she flees in fear of punishment. After recovering from his serious injuries, Pei You grows even more ruthless and posts a lavish bounty on her head.

--

One day after their reunion, Bai Feihan wears a sheer gown and boldly hooks an arm around Pei You's shoulder in the palace hall. She breathes a warm whisper in his ear, teasing him without a sound. "Husband, I've missed you."

Her red lips brush his, and the familiar softness in his arms is unmistakable, yet murderous intent slowly rises in Pei You's eyes.

The officials cheer: The wicked consort has walked right into our trap! Execute her!

The next moment, Pei You dismisses the court and kneels at Bai Feihan's feet to fasten a string of silver bells around her ankle.

For the next five days, the king calls in sick and skips court, while the sound of silver bells rings throughout the harem. Five days later, Pei You looks refreshed, and the officials congratulate His Majesty on finally ridding himself of his greatest enemy.

Half a month later, news spreads that Noble Consort Bai is pregnant.

The officials stare at one another. Who's carrying the royal heir? You mean Bai Feihan?

tips:

* Set in a fully fictional world

* The leads are both ruthless, and neither is remotely harmless

* The heroine is not a stand-in for the second female lead in the hero's eyes. She is one of a kind. He never loved the second female lead; the heroine only misunderstood him early on!

* The heroine has strong agency. There are no scenes of the heroine being physically or emotionally abused, or having her heart or organs cut out, anywhere in the story!!!

--

Coming soon: The Disciple I Picked Up Is My Nemesis. If you're interested, add it to your reading list!

Blurb:

A laid-back, beautiful, strong, and tragic heroine & a brooding, scheming hero

In her previous life, Bu Ying followed the wrong master. She watched as the Fifth Prince, with her help, turned the human world into a living hell, then rewarded her with a cup of poisoned wine.

Reborn, Bu Ying quits. She gives up nine-tenths of her power, breaks her sword, takes the name Bu Huan, and walks out of the Fifth Prince's secret residence.

To hell with the struggles for the throne and the heady freedom of the martial world. In this life, Bu Huan swears to stay out of power struggles and live a carefree life.

But a blind fortune-teller tells her she's lacking in virtue and destined for an early death.

Bu Huan believes him. To build up her good karma, she picks out a handsome young beggar from a den of beggars, makes him kowtow to her three times, and takes him on as her disciple.

--

In his previous life, Xiang Gui was a total failure. He single-handedly managed to bring down his already tiny sect, and eventually died by Bu Ying's sword.

Bu Ying killed so many people that she naturally doesn't remember killing someone like him. But Xiang Gui remembers. He remembers the intoxicating scent of plum blossoms as the blade slit his throat.

And he had smelled that same plum fragrance when his master was killed.

Reborn, Xiang Gui recognizes Bu Huan, whose powers have been completely destroyed, thanks to his keen sense of smell. He conceals his sharp edges, puts on a pitiful act in the den of beggars, and becomes her disciple.

--

As her last disciple, the little apprentice gets plenty of attention from Bu Huan. She teaches him swordsmanship, strategy, and scheming. And because she is sure he'll marry and have children someday, she even tells him about the intimate affairs between men and women.

But Bu Huan never imagined that, one day, he would use everything she taught him on her, with the exception of swordsmanship.

Xiang Gui knows Bu Huan wants to stay out of the fray and live freely. He refuses to let her have her way, using every sort of underhanded scheme to drag her back into the game.

That night, beneath brocade covers tossed into disarray, Bu Huan curses loudly from behind the gauzy bed curtains, blindfolded. The person on top of her only laughs softly, then lifts her into his arms.

"Master, I was wrong. Please don't abandon me."

Xiang Gui holds Bu Huan's bonelessly soft body close, putting on a pitiful voice, though his movements never stop.

You killed me once. This time, I won't let you get off so easily.

Theme: Cherish the person by your side.