Tu Shanjin was indeed momentarily taken aback by her sudden assertiveness. His gaze sharpened as he asked, "Who exactly are you?"
Yun Yaoyao replied with a smirk, "Heh. I go by my true name, sitting or standing. It's me!"
Tu Shanjin: "?"
Yun Yaoyao continued leisurely.
"Tu Shanjin, I'm sure you've already figured out that I'm not the legitimate daughter of the Yun family."
"To tell you the truth, I am actually the Book of Life and Death from King Yama's hand in the Underworld. I've come to the mortal realm this time to save the fate of the Yanchi Dynasty!"
"You, Tu Shanjin, as the ruler of a nation, have been cruel and inhumane, causing the national fortunes of the Yanchi Dynasty to decline further. In the end, it will be divided and devoured by the Xiongnu at the borders. Countless soldiers will die tragically on the battlefield, innocent civilians will lose their country and homes, leading to an overflow of resentment in the Underworld!"
Tu Shanjin's gaze remained cold, clearly not believing much of what she said. "Oh? Then tell me, what fate awaits this emperor in the end?"
Yun Yaoyao's face showed sympathy: "You, having committed too many sins while alive, will naturally be overthrown by your ministers, turned into a human pig, and locked in a water prison to be tortured daily. Only when the iron hooves of the Xiongnu trample the Yanchi Imperial Palace will you finally breathe your last."
"Even in death, you won't be able to appease the resentment of the Yanchi people. So in your next life, you'll be reborn as a tile in the Yanchi Imperial Palace... oh no, it should be the new Xiongnu Imperial Palace. Every day you'll be stepped on by the Xiongnu, watching them level the tombs of your Tushan Family, whipping corpses to vent their anger. Especially you - you'll be whipped and burned until you're reduced to ashes. With a gust of wind, you'll be gone!"
"In the life after that, you'll be reborn as a sow, eating slop every day, sleeping in a pigsty full of pig dung, beaten by the owner, bullied and robbed of food by other pigs. Only flies and mosquitoes will stay with you faithfully. One night, you'll even have your porcine chastity violated by a drunken beggar."
"In the life after that, you'll be reborn as a giant lizard in India..."
"Stop!" Tu Shanjin finally couldn't bear it anymore. "Enough!"
Yun Yaoyao shook her head and lamented, "For a great emperor to meet such an end, how pitiful and tragic!"
The lie was told so convincingly that even Yun Yaoyao herself almost believed it.
However, there was one thing Yun Yaoyao didn't get wrong. In the novel, Tu Shanjin was indeed overthrown, imprisoned, tortured to death, and his corpse publicly whipped.
He met an end where not even his bones remained.
After delivering the blow, it was time to offer some sweetness.
Yun Yaoyao gently persuaded, "But don't worry too much. My arrival in the Yanchi Dynasty and borrowing your body is ultimately to save the Yanchi Dynasty and change your fate. As long as you cooperate well with me, your future will be bright."
Although Tu Shanjin had successfully been caught off guard by Yun Yaoyao for a few seconds, he still looked at her with scrutiny. "Since you claim to be the Book of Life and Death from the Underworld, you must have extraordinary abilities. Why not intervene directly?"
Yun Yaoyao gave him a look as if he were an idiot. "Please, my interfering in human affairs in this way is already breaking the rules. Do you want me to use my abilities at will and have the laws of heaven annihilate me on the spot?"
"However, the Book of Life and Death records the fates of all of you, and I can reluctantly reveal some of that from time to time."
She had read the entire novel, so didn't she indeed know the fates of many characters in the book?
This explanation left no obvious loopholes. Regardless of how much Tu Shanjin actually believed, Yun Yaoyao looked at him with confidence and ease.
"When can we switch bodies back?" Tu Shanjin asked.
Yun Yaoyao herself wasn't sure, but she lied without blushing or hesitation: "Your current mindset is not right. Once you use Yun Yaoyao's body to experience the hardships of women in ancient times, see the difficulties of ordinary people through her eyes, and then comprehend the truth of life, naturally you'll be able to switch back."
"What am I supposed to realize?"
"What is the meaning of human existence?"
Yun Yaoyao looked up to the sky devoutly, hands clasped together.
At this moment, she felt like a great deceiver... no, as if she was coated in a layer of golden light.
"..."
Tu Shanjin laughed in extreme anger, feeling he had been fooled, but after staring at her for a long time, he couldn't find any flaws.
There were too many mysteries, just the soul exchange alone involved inexplicable supernatural powers.
After a while, he grunted in acknowledgment.
A pair of bright watery eyes held an unfathomable cool smile: "Book of Life and Death, then I'll await your good news to change my fate and that of the Yanchi Dynasty."
Yun Yaoyao suddenly felt like she had been targeted by a vicious wolf, the pressure on her was immense.
Not willing to show weakness, she grasped Tu Shanjin's hand and returned an even more sinister smile: "Mortal, different fields are like different mountains. I also wish you success in figuring something out."
After their sarcastic exchange, both put on a show of friendliness.
Yun Yaoyao: "To prevent exposing my identity, you can just call me Yun Yaoyao in private."
Having "Life and Death" in her name every day was quite inauspicious.
Tu Shanjin: "Mm, you can just call me by my given name as well."
Being called "mortal" all the time was quite unpleasant too.
And so, the two with ulterior motives reached a temporary cooperation.
They began to exchange the information they each possessed and discuss a feasible plan for living thereafter.
This discussion lasted until midnight.
The candlelight on the table flickered, casting light on both their faces.
As if sensing something simultaneously, they both looked up at each other at the same time.
Yun Yaoyao once again marveled at how incredibly good-looking she was, soft and fragrant with all the right curves. So enticing!
Tu Shanjin, on the other hand, watched as his usually cold and ruthless face suddenly showed surprise, then admiration, followed by smugness, and finally falling into infatuation. In just five seconds, more expressions flashed across than he had shown in his entire life.
He felt his scalp tingle. It was unbearable to watch!
"Yun Yaoyao, stop making these foolish expressions with my face," Tu Shanjin said with disgust as he turned away.
"Even your rejection has a unique beauty," Yun Yaoyao said with satisfaction as she withdrew her gaze.
Tu Shanjin: "..."
She's insane.
The candlelight flickered, and the incense burner by the bed released wisps of fragrant smoke, making people feel relaxed and comfortable while gradually creating an ambiguous atmosphere.
"Tu Shanjin, do you feel your breathing quickening and your body getting a bit hot?" Yun Yaoyao took off her outer garment and placed it on a chair.
Tu Shanjin thought of something, got up, and poured the tea from the table into the incense burner.
After walking a few steps, his cheeks also flushed red: "When the emperor favors a concubine, it seems they light aphrodisiac incense to enhance the mood."
He had no experience in this area, but he had read about it in the "Emperor's Enlightenment Manual."
"No wonder!"
Yun Yaoyao had already drunk several cups of tea to suppress the heat. She had stripped down to just a thin undergarment, her belt loosened, revealing a large expanse of toned chest.
Tu Shanjin also felt unbearably hot all over. The brocade quilt wrapped around his body made his temperature rise even faster.
Large beads of sweat soaked his forehead, flowing down his jade-like smooth and fair neck, finally trickling into the proud curves in front.
It was a scene of vivid sensuality.
Yun Yaoyao unconsciously gulped.
"Yun Yaoyao!" Tu Shanjin reprimanded just in time.
Yun Yaoyao felt wronged after being scolded. She pointed at a certain area: "It's its fault, it's so uncomfortable. It's trying to control my reason. I'll go find a knife and chop off this root of all evil!"
"You dare not!" Tu Shanjin gritted his teeth. "How could you even think of that!"
"Then I..." Yun Yaoyao's sinful hand reached out.
"You're not allowed to touch it either!"
After shouting this, Tu Shanjin felt mentally and physically exhausted.
He realized that after switching bodies, he could easily be caught off guard by the other person.
In the end, the two managed to get through this most torturous time by threatening each other.
If Yun Yaoyao wanted to take care of things herself, Tu Shanjin would threaten her: "If you dare to do that, I'll do the same thing to this body right in front of you!"
This frightened Yun Yaoyao, making her feel a chill. Yuck, watching herself do that would be too disgusting!
If Tu Shanjin couldn't resist wanting to clench his thighs around the brocade quilt, Yun Yaoyao would also intimidate him: "You dare?! I'll pour hot tea on it right now!"
Tu Shanjin didn't dare anymore, after all, he still needed to continue the imperial lineage.
Yun Yaoyao smiled at him provocatively. Come on, let's hurt each other!
And so, the two endured through the most excruciating period.
Both of them were drenched in sweat and exhausted. At this point, they no longer cared about the propriety between men and women, and each lay peacefully on one side of the dragon bed.
"Hey, move in a bit more, the heat from your body is coming over here."
"There's no more room."
At some point, he, an emperor, had to sleep in the same bed with someone else. Tu Shanjin sighed in frustration.
Yun Yaoyao rolled over, facing her bottom towards Tu Shanjin. Her mind was a bit jumbled now, and she couldn't sleep.
She rolled over again, and at that moment, their elbows collided.
When skin touched skin, it was as if a tingling electric current spread throughout their bodies. They both withdrew their hands almost instantly!
"Sorry, sorry," Yun Yaoyao said, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
But as long as she changed the subject quickly enough, embarrassment couldn't catch up with her.
"By the way, there are eunuchs guarding outside the palace doors. If we just spend the night quietly like this, it might arouse suspicion."
"Why don't we..."
