YWTGU -Chapter 23 Is It Spring? Is It a Dream? Or Is It a Spring Dream?

“Borrow seed?!”

The moment Li An heard those two words, he completely froze.

His eyes went wide as he stared at the Empress standing before him, who looked utterly serious. His mind buzzed loudly.

Borrow… seed?

Your Majesty the Empress, what are you talking about?

I’m here to put on an act!

Not to make it real!

“Your Majesty must be joking!”

Li An let out an awkward laugh and quickly took two steps back.

But Sun Ruoxi only smiled and shook her head. Her peach-blossom eyes were filled with sincerity.

“I never joke. Every word I say comes from the heart.”

She slowly stood and walked toward him.

“Lord Li has just won first place in the imperial examinations. Surely you are one in ten thousand—a dragon among men.”

“Then your seed must be the finest in all of Great Qi.”

As she finished speaking, a trace of seductive charm appeared on Sun Ruoxi’s face. Her slender, jade-like fingers began loosening her robe.

Li An’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

What the hell?!

Your Majesty, what are you doing?!

He had assumed this was all an act. The Emperor must have arranged for him to act.

But now… the Empress clearly intended to turn fake into real!

If he gave in, wouldn’t that be suicide?!

Sleeping with the Empress was a crime punishable by extermination of nine generations!

Even if the Emperor knew about this—even if the Emperor was some effeminate man who disliked women—he couldn’t possibly mean for Li An to actually sleep with the Empress!

What if the Emperor regretted it one day?

What if the Emperor suddenly felt unhappy about it?

One imperial decree and his head would roll!

“Your Majesty, please respect yourself!”

Li An kept backing away, shouting, “I would rather die than submit!”

With that, he turned to run toward the door.

But Empress Sun Ruoxi wasn’t the least bit anxious. She stood where she was, a smile of triumph curling at her lips.

“Lord Li, if you wish to leave now…”

“You won’t be able to.”

“Fall.”

Sure enough, after only two steps, Li An suddenly felt the world spin.

His head throbbed painfully, and his vision blurred.

What’s happening?

Instinctively, he glanced at the cup of tea he had just drunk and immediately understood.

“This tea…”

He pointed at it, his speech already slurring.

Sun Ruoxi walked over and leaned close to his ear, whispering softly:

“Yes. I drugged the tea.”

“Lord Li, just sleep peacefully and have a sweet dream.”

“You—”

Li An tried to speak, but his tongue no longer obeyed him.

The scene before him grew increasingly hazy. Even the Empress’s stunning face became indistinct.

Then darkness swallowed his vision, and he completely lost consciousness.

Ding!

【The Empress has drugged Li An!】

【The Empress is about to commit impropriety with Li An!】

【The inner palace falls into depravity! The imperial bloodline may descend into chaos!】

【Great Qi National Fortune -3000】

【Current National Fortune: 62,879】

…

Ding!

【Host detected under the effects of a sedative!】

【Host consciousness being forcibly put into dormancy…】

【Dormancy failed! Host mental strength too strong!】

【Current state: Body paralyzed, consciousness semi-awake】

A dream?

No. Li An was very clear—this was not a dream.

His body could not move at all, as if weighed down by a ghost.

Yet his mind was fully awake.

He could clearly feel… someone touching him.

Cool, slender, soft fingers were slowly unfastening his collar.

Then came warm, steady breaths carefully brushing against his neck.

And that faint, intoxicating fragrance—exactly the scent he had noticed on the Empress earlier—only now unbearably close…

Li An screamed inwardly.

What the hell!

The Empress… actually went through with it?!

He tried desperately to open his eyes but couldn’t.

He tried to speak, but his mouth refused to open.

Then came strange sensations…

Ding!

【Host stamina is being passively consumed…】

【Reminder: Please relax. Since resistance is impossible, simply enjoy the process.】

【System has activated “Protective True Qi” to safeguard host’s core functions…】

Enjoy my ass!

Li An could only complain inwardly in that strange state…

I’m being violated, you know?!

Sure, she’s a peerless beauty…

Sure, she’s the mother of the nation…

Sure, her technique is indeed very—

No! That’s not the point!

The point is I can’t even move!

All he could do was passively endure the gentle “assault” of the beauty upon him.

Time felt both unbearably slow and fleetingly fast.

His consciousness flickered between clarity and blur.

Yet he could clearly sense his stamina draining away.

He could feel the waves of warmth enveloping him.

He could feel the unbelievably soft, very real sensations beneath him.

Finally, amid a violent bout of dizziness, Li An completely lost consciousness once more.

Ding!

【Host stamina depleted!】

【Protection mechanism activated. Forcing dormancy…】

…

“Hiss—”

With a shiver, Li An woke up.

He opened his eyes and found himself lying somewhere unfamiliar.

Where is this?

Groggily, he sat up and looked around.

It was a side hall, simply furnished.

Outside the window, dawn was just beginning to break.

Looking down, Li An froze.

He was lying on the cold floor. His clothes were undone, disheveled and messy.

Most critically…

He instinctively glanced downward and immediately covered himself.

His trousers were loosened too!

His mind exploded.

It’s over!

It’s over, over, over!

He remembered what happened last night.

The Empress said she wanted to borrow seed, drugged him, he passed out, and then…

Then he woke up!

Woke up half-undressed on the floor!

What does that mean?

It means the Empress really… really did that to him while he was unconscious!

Ding!

【Li An has been forcibly “borrowed for seed” by the Empress!】

【Imperial bloodline has descended into chaos!】

【Great Qi National Fortune -5000】

【Current National Fortune: 57,879】

Li An suddenly felt that something was very wrong.

Staring at the string of system notifications, he felt numb all over.

What kind of absurd situation is this?!

A dignified seven-foot man, and he was actually… by a woman?

And while he couldn’t even move!

Granted, she was a peerless beauty. Granted, the feeling had indeed been…

Wait!

Li An suddenly froze.

He remembered.

Although his body couldn’t move, his consciousness had been semi-awake!

That gentle touch, that indescribable experience—he actually… actually remembered it!

It was just that his body was out of control, so he could only passively endure it.

Thinking about it that way, his emotions suddenly became complicated.

It’s true he was slept with.

But did he enjoy it…?

It seemed like he did, at least a little.

That feeling of being controlled, of being unable to take the initiative—it was simply too suffocating!

He, a top-tier secret agent of Northern Yan, had actually been slept with by the Great Qi Empress?

And in a state where he was fully conscious but unable to move?

If this got out, where would he, Li An, put his face?

He might even get mocked as the “bottom”!

No, this absolutely could not get out!

If it did, he’d be finished!

Li An took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

He hurriedly pulled on his trousers and straightened his clothes, fumbling in a panic.

As he tidied himself up, he swore inwardly—

If something like this ever happened again…

I’m taking the initiative next time! I refuse to be a salted fish again!

Wait—what “next time”?

What nonsense!

The Empress has already successfully borrowed the seed. Why would there be a next time?

He shook his head, throwing those messy thoughts out of his mind.

Now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.

Glancing at the sky outside the window gradually growing bright, he knew he had to follow the Emperor’s original plan and quietly slip out of Cining Palace.

Then be “discovered” by the Prime Minister’s trusted guard commander, Zhang Tieniu.

Only, unlike the Emperor’s plan…

Originally, Li An was supposed to rely on acting skills to put on a show of an “adulterer fleeing.”

But now?

He was genuinely in the state of an adulterer fleeing!

That guilty, flustered look didn’t need acting at all!

With a bitter smile, Li An tiptoed to the door and carefully pushed it open.

The sky outside was faintly pale; most palace lamps had already been extinguished.

He stuck his head out, glanced left and right, and after confirming no one was around, slipped out with his back bent low.

His heart was in his throat the entire way.

Every step felt like countless eyes were staring at his back.

That guilty feeling—there was no need to fake it.

Finally, he saw the palace gate.

Just as he was about to quicken his pace and dash out, a figure suddenly stepped out from the shadows.

“Stop!”

Li An nearly jumped out of his skin.

Turning his head, he saw a burly military officer standing not far away, staring at him suspiciously.

It was Guard Commander Zhang Tieniu.

“Li… Lord Li?”

Zhang Tieniu’s eyes widened as he sized Li An up and down.

The newly appointed top scholar’s clothes were disheveled, his hair messy, and his face carried traces of panic and guilt.

That look…

It was exactly like the way he himself looked after climbing out of some minister’s wife’s bed!

And this was near Cining Palace!

Who lived in Cining Palace?

The Empress.

Zhang Tieniu might not be particularly clever, but in matters like this, he was extremely sharp.

The moment that possibility occurred to him, wild joy surged in his heart.

This was a heaven-sent handle!

Li An was having an affair with the Empress!

“Com—Commander Zhang…”

Li An let out two dry laughs. “Up early, doing patrol?”

“Lord Li, you are…?” Zhang Tieniu asked deliberately.

“Oh, I… I drank too much last night and slept in a side hall,” Li An made up on the spot. “Just woke up and was about to leave the palace.”

“Is that so?”

Zhang Tieniu gave him a meaningful look. “Lord Li has worked hard.”

“Not hard, not hard. I’ll take my leave!”

Daring not to linger, Li An hurried toward the palace gate.

His retreating figure looked utterly miserable—like an adulterer caught red-handed.

Watching his back, and recalling that he had been keeping an eye on Li An the previous night, Zhang Tieniu was basically certain Li An had spent the night in the Empress’s chambers.

Li An, you’re finished!

Illicit relations with the Empress—this was a crime punishable by extermination of nine clans!

Just yesterday, the Prime Minister had instructed him to pay close attention to Li An and try to obtain some leverage. Zhang Tieniu hadn’t expected such credit to fall into his lap so easily.

With this handle, wouldn’t the Prime Minister reward him heavily?

He turned and left swiftly, ready to report this enormous piece of news at once.

Ding!

【The Prime Minister is about to obtain leverage on Li An for “illicit relations with the Empress”!】

【The court’s political schemes grow more complex!】

【Great Qi national fortune -1000】

【Current national fortune: 56,879】

…

Prime Minister’s Residence.

Wang Fu was handling official business in his study when a servant suddenly reported that Zhang Tieniu requested an urgent audience.

“Let him in.”

Wang Fu set down his brush, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

So early—what urgent matter could there be?

He had known Zhang Tieniu was on duty yesterday and had instructed him to keep watch over Li An and the Emperor, preferably even eavesdropping on their discussions of state policies.

Best of all would be obtaining some leverage on Li An.

Now that Zhang Tieniu had rushed over at dawn, he must have made some major gain.

Thinking of this, Wang Fu felt anticipation rise.

Moments later, Zhang Tieniu strode in, barely able to suppress his excitement.

“Prime Minister! I have an urgent matter to report!”

“Speak.”

“This morning near Cining Palace, I ran into Li An!”

Zhang Tieniu lowered his voice. “His clothes were disordered, his expression flustered—clearly the look of someone who had just come from the Empress’s bed!”

Wang Fu’s eyes lit up.

“Are you certain?”

“I saw it with my own eyes—no mistake!” Zhang Tieniu swore. “And I was secretly watching him last night. He was mistakenly sent by a eunuch into Cining Palace and only came out this morning!”

“Good! Good! Good!”

Wang Fu said “good” three times in a row, a smug smile spreading across his face.

He had been worrying about how to recruit and control Li An—wasn’t this leverage delivered to his door?

No matter how upright Li An was, no matter how unmoved by recruitment, with this handle in hand, how could he refuse?

Otherwise, it would be the crime of exterminating nine clans!

“Commander Zhang, you’ve done well.”

Wang Fu nodded in satisfaction. “But this matter is known only to you and me. It must not spread.”

“I understand!”

…

Meanwhile, on a pavilion on the other side of the palace.

Emperor Zhao Ling’er was leisurely sipping her morning tea, her gaze fixed on the direction of Cining Palace.

She had risen early just to watch Li An’s flustered escape!

As expected, he didn’t disappoint.

There he was, sneaking out from Cining Palace, looking utterly guilty and panicked—it was simply too amusing.

“Pfft…”

She laughed so hard her shoulders trembled, tears almost forming.

“This Li, my beloved minister…”

Shaking her head as she laughed, she said, “Yesterday when he pretended to be drunk, it was so exaggerated—obviously fake.”

“But this morning, the way he fled from the Empress’s place—now that was convincing.”

“Absolutely the look of a guilty thief…”

Zhao Ling’er was in excellent spirits.

The plan was proceeding smoothly.

Zhang Tieniu must have seen him and was probably reporting to the Prime Minister right now!

Once the Prime Minister obtained this “handle,” he would certainly try to win Li An over.

And Li An could naturally “defect” to the Prime Minister and infiltrate the enemy’s ranks.

Perfect!

Zhao Ling’er happily took another sip of tea, deciding to visit Cining Palace later to chat with the Empress and ask what embarrassing antics Li An had displayed last night.

…

Elsewhere, at the Top Scholar’s Residence.

After fleeing the palace in panic, Li An practically sprinted all the way home.

Pushing the door open, he slumped against the frame, gasping for breath as though utterly drained.

Too intense!

This night had been more intense than both his lifetimes combined!

First, he was forced to accept the Emperor’s multiple undercover assignments. Then he had to pretend to drunkenly stumble into the Empress’s chambers…

Only for the Empress to go off-script, secretly drug him without the Emperor’s knowledge—pitifully losing his virginity while unconscious—and finally having to stage an adulterer’s escape…

Li An felt like his poor heart couldn’t take it anymore.

“Young Master!”

At that moment, a delighted voice rang out.

Looking up, Li An saw Hongmei vaulting in through the window. Unlike her usual frosty expression, today she wore a hint of joy.

“Young Master, you’re back! News came from Blackwater Terrace—there’s a commendation order and a new mission!”

But as she ran up to him, she suddenly stopped.

Her nose twitched, and her brows immediately knit together.

“Hm?”

She leaned closer and sniffed hard.

“There’s the scent of rouge!”

Her eyes narrowed at once. “Young Master, when you entered the palace yesterday… did you touch a woman?”

Li An’s heart skipped a beat.

It’s over. She smelled it!

Is Hongmei part dog or something? How is her nose so sharp?