Desecrating Imperial Power in a Female-Dominated World. [Yuri/GL]

Chapter 29: Fan Yin

"The woman is from the Marquis of Dingyuan's household, a concubine-born daughter," Chen Yongle explained in a low voice.
"A concubine-born daughter?" Chao Yang asked, puzzled.
In the Southern Kingdom, the status of such daughters was not high.
"Her name is He Dong'er, a name given by her illiterate mother. Speaking of which, she's quite pitiable. Her father, whether for fame or beauty, married the current Lady of the Marquis of Dingyuan, and He Dong'er's mother was promptly demoted. The Lady of the Marquis has a son and a daughter, whom the Marquis dotes on immensely. He Dong'er's life in the Marquis' mansion is far from pleasant."

He continued, with a hint of schadenfreude in his tone, "But the Marquis could never have imagined that the concubine-born daughter he always looked down upon would make his latter life a living hell. His most beloved late-born young son turned out to be the product of his wife's affair, his favorite daughter became infertile, and he himself is probably frantically seeking medical help now. After all, it's hard for a man in his prime and high position to endure impotence."

"How could she have the power to do all this?"
In the Southern Kingdom, women are so gentle and graceful because they are absolutely suppressed by patriarchy. They have no personal freedom and are raised in seclusion, under strict discipline.

"She's a tough character, a wolf with sharp teeth," Chen Yongle shook his head and chuckled lightly. "Once, she crawled through a dog hole, hid in a swill bucket, and even disguised herself as a servant boy to get out. For a young girl, her courage is undeniable."

"Hmm," Chao Yang nodded and said, "It's evident how much He Dong'er has been neglected. If there was even a shred of care, they wouldn't have allowed her to escape from the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion, which is guarded by servants."

Chen Yongle's mouth curled up in a mocking smile, "Those men are really worthless, their decade-long companionship with their wives so shallow, without a hint of affection! No matter how high his position, how neatly dressed, he can't cover up the fact that he's a heartless beast!"

"He Dong'er is still not ruthless enough."
"Not enough?" Chen Yongle wondered.
To have cut off his lineage, isn't that enough? Chen Yongle sighed helplessly in his heart. Has the gentle and vulnerable Ah Yang he felt compelled to protect been corrupted by that bastard Queen Yun Qi?

"If things go as expected, the Marquis of Dingyuan might remain impotent for life. But if he doesn't vent, it's bad for his health. Perhaps He Dong'er could arrange for him a few... men..." The last two words were uttered very softly, accompanied by a hint of chill.

Chen Yongle's face turned red, and after struggling for a while, he finally spoke, looking at Chao Yang, who appeared indifferent, and said helplessly, "Ah Yang, why must your words always be so shocking?"
"I simply love to speak the truth and get to the point," Chao Yang replied nonchalantly.
The two conversed in hushed tones, while others in the room watched Chao Yang with either covert or bold gazes, all filled with eagerness.

Chao Yang, while talking to Chen Yongle, also paid attention to everyone's conversations. Although she would see such information in intelligence reports, some things, like the gossip about a prince's preferences from the Western Wind, couldn't be collected even by her perfect intelligence agency. She listened as if they were stories, thinking that perhaps one day this gossip might prove useful.

Chao Yang was only half-listening to the discussions until the "Fan Yin Secret Realm" was mentioned, which made her look up attentively.
"Have you heard of the Fan Yin Secret Realm?" asked someone casually, as if it was just a passing remark.
"I have," unexpectedly, the first to respond was He Dong'er.
Chao Yang's gaze lingered on He Dong'er for a second without a trace.

"The Fan Yin Secret Realm?" Most people looked puzzled, but no one really thought the topic was brought up in jest.
"The Fan Yin Secret Realm is an ancient realm that appears once every thousand years. Due to its millennial rarity and long history, there are few written records, and the few that exist are considered heretical, as they describe the realm as too shocking and unconventional. And with the millennial cycle, these past two years just happen to mark the thousand-year period."