"I don't want to"

The grand General's council chamber was packed with people. Dragon General, clad in a magnificent embroidered flying eagle robe, sat on the master's chair, radiating an imposing aura. Beside him sat a woman in a satin gown adorned with intricate floral embroidery, her face etched with worry. She, along with Dragon General, stared intently at Dragon Zhan, who trembled and knelt on the ground.Two elderly men and several young nobles in lavish attire were also present in the council chamber. None of them spoke, their faces betraying expressions of deep concern and displeasure.

And Longzhan's "I don't want to" seemed so pale under the might of everyone.

Fu Lian looked at him with a soft gaze, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her voice was as gentle as silk, "Zhan, the emperor has issued an imperial decree to crown you as Empress. This is a great grace from the emperor; you only need to show gratitude and obey. Don't cause any more trouble, get up.

Longzhan raised his head, his face filled with terror and rage. His eyes were swollen like peaches, and he knelt on the ground, crying out in despair: "Mother, even if you gave your son to a beggar, he would still have a way to survive. But this imperial concubine... she is destined to die with the emperor!"

The emperor is gravely ill and unconscious. Before falling into a coma, he issued an imperial edict for the empress to be buried with him. As the current Empress Dowager is the empress's aunt, she would not stand by and watch her niece die in this way. While the emperor was in a coma, she issued an imperial decree to depose the empress. Then, in the emperor's name, she welcomed Long Zhan, the general of the Dragon Army, into the palace as the new empress. The emperor's edict called for the empress to be buried with him, but it did not specify which empress.

When the Dragon General heard what Longzhan said, he was immediately furious. "Preposterous! The Emperor is in his prime, healthy and strong, how can you spout such nonsense here? Hit him, hit him until he agrees!" Longkangjian even felt uneasy saying those words himself, let alone expecting Longzhan to believe them.

Long Zhan collapsed to the ground, unconscious. The entire arena fell silent, no one dared to speak. Everyone knew that in this household, no one would utter a word for him because he was the illegitimate son of a maidservant, bearing the title of Miss despite being treated worse than even the servants.

Knowing the meaning of burial, during the Liang Dynasty, there were two types of burial. One was death burial, where people would be tattooed on their faces and covered with thin gauze until they stopped breathing and died. The other was live burial, where people were still alive when the emperor's coffin was closed, slowly suffocating to death inside. No matter which kind, it was extremely cruel for those involved, not as quick and clean as a single blow.

She is about to be queen, so even her execution would not involve corporal punishment. No mark would mar her face, no trace of fear in her widened eyes as she stared at the formidable matron, who approached step by step. In the matron's hand glinted a sliver of metal, several fine needles.

She shivered uncontrollably. Ever since the imperial edict was delivered last night, and she refused to marry into the palace, she had been subjected to several painful needle pricks. Her garments were almost translucent enough to clearly see the tiny puncture marks from the needles.

This time, Grandma changed her approach, grabbing my wrist with one hand and grinning viciously: "Miss, please don't blame me, I'm just following orders."

As he spoke, the hand clamped down on him. The long, sharp nails pierced his skin, sending a searing pain through him that made him cry out. He was drenched in cold sweat, but he didn't dare struggle. He knew that if he did, the punishment would be even worse.

He bit down with all his might, the metallic tang of blood spreading in his mouth. He shook his head relentlessly, his hair disheveled, cold sweat soaking his forehead and dripping down his cheeks. His whole body trembled, like a white rabbit pinned to a cutting board, awaiting its fate.

A crimson seeped from his fingertips, dripping onto the pristine white marble floor, like vibrant red plum blossoms blooming amidst a snowy expanse.

A chorus of heart-wrenching cries echoed from the council chamber, causing the servants standing outside to be startled. Some of the more timid ones even turned their faces away, afraid to look at the eldest daughter's face contorted in pain.

Such a tragic scene, General Long remained unmoved. A hint of agitation and anger flickered between his brows. If he didn't agree soon, the Empress would surely hold him accountable. The new empress wouldn't be able to continuously shed tears in the palace, and with her current appearance, she might not even be willing to die at that time.

Long Lady held General Long's hand, her eyes full of pity. "General, perhaps... it would be better to let him go back first. This evening, I will go and speak with Haohao properly."

Long Jiang knew his wife was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see such cruel punishment. Besides, from last night till now, they had been tossing about all night, but that unfilial son hadn't shown any sign of compromise. It seemed like this approach wouldn't work. After thinking for a moment, he said: "Alright then, you go and tell him." He finished his sentence with a wave of his hand, gave Long Zhan a disgusted look, and ordered: "Take him back."

Long Zhanquan lay sprawled on the ground, his ten fingers throbbing with pain. However, for him, this was nothing new. In this household, he was just a stray dog, accustomed to being beaten and scolded at any time by his master. The second young lady of the General's Mansion, Long Zhanxin, his sister, especially enjoyed using needles against him.

The elders present showed no mercy, only thinking that he was out of touch with reality. Perhaps, they were simply used to everything that happened. In the dragon's mansion, even a low-ranking servant could freely insult others. When the master was in a bad mood, he would call them over for a beating. The value of existence in this family was simply to be a punching bag.

He was dragged back to his own room by servants and thrown to the floor. All sharp objects had been removed from the room, in case he should try to harm himself.

Sitting on the cold floor, the chill felt like a venomous snake coiling around her limbs. Ever since she could understand, she'd known her place was low and wretched. All that was ever bestowed upon her were scornful glances, insults, and beatings. She endured it all, waiting for her sixteenth birthday so she could leave this house. Even if it wasn't the life she imagined, at least she could live like ordinary people, free from the stares of contempt and the sting of insults and blows.

This year, I turned sixteen. But my father and mother want me to give my life for the family's honor.

And up until now, I can't even cry anymore. Well then, it seems like this is paying back the debt of my life, isn't it? In the end, we all die anyway. Why should I die in such a way befitting an empress now? At least that way, my mother would have an official posthumous title and some honor in death. As for Longzhan, he wouldn't be ridiculed anymore as the son of a concubine.

As the lanterns first lit up, General's Manor was bustling with activity. With General Long about to become his father-in-law, many officials came to offer congratulations. The lively atmosphere in the main hall contrasted sharply with the silence of Long Zhan's room.

Long Nü led two maidservants to the doorstep of Long Zhǎn's humble residence.

The moment the door opened and closed, Long's Madam's expression shifted from her previous kindness to an icy and venomous one. A maidservant brought a chair and placed it before Long Zhan. Her aura was so imposing that no one dared to look at her.

"His voice, unlike its previous gentleness, now held a languid coldness. "Zhan, do you hold any resentment towards your mother?"

Long Zhan was still sprawled on the ground, not even lifting his head. He wasn't surprised by Lady Chu's appearance at all; whenever she was behind someone else, she acted this way. This expression of hers had been through so much hardship, one couldn't tell.

"The child dares not," Long Zhan said quietly, his voice still and calm. The shadow of death had completely enveloped them, and they had already accepted their fate.

"Mm," Lady Long seemed quite pleased with this answer, a slight smile gracing her lips. "Now that you are about to become Empress, Mother has something she's kept hidden in her heart for sixteen years, and it's time she told you."

Long Zhan slowly raised his head. Under the dim lights, he could only see Madame Long's face flickering indistinctly. Her eyes were fierce and menacing, like a ghost from the tenth hall of hell.

The Dragon Lady raised a faint, hollow smile, her voice laced with a hint of relish. "Do you know how your despicable mother died?"

The head bowed slightly forward, his eyes flashed a hint of glee and madness. His voice was low, like a ghostly whisper from the depths of his throat. It was both cruel and chillingly calm: "He was pressed into a sewage pit and suffocated to death. After his death, I stuffed his mouth with talisman-wrapped glutinous rice and nails, then chopped off his limbs, ensuring that even after falling into the underworld and reaching the King Yama's hall, he couldn't find peace. For all eternity, he would be unable to reincarnate as a human."

Long Zhan suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with shock, he trembled uncontrollably, a voice of grief and indignation broke through the fear in his mouth, "Why are you so cruel?"

Long Fuzi sat straight, her expression serene as she smiled faintly. "It's not cruelty," she said, "You should know that you were bestowed the title of Empress to die with me. It was your father who arranged this. Don't blame us for being heartless, Zhan. Blame your own mother. She gave birth to a lowly life yet dared to dream of power. Your father didn't mistreat you; he allowed you to die as Empress. Even in death, you brought honor and prosperity to the Dragon clan, fulfilling your lowborn mother's ambition."

After finishing, she let out a soft sigh, as if all the grievances of many years had dissipated like smoke. Then, with a disdainful glance at Long Zhan, she said, “After your death, your mother will have people chant scriptures for you to help you ascend to paradise early.” Having said that, a triumphant laugh burst from her sharp voice, which was incongruous with her kind and gentle face. The maid opened the door and left without expression.

Long Zhanquan felt a chill run through him, his head buzzing. His father, who had been gone for sixteen years, he thought was only doing what he had to out of necessity. He never expected that it was his own willingness to sacrifice his life in exchange for the glory of the Long family.

Clenching her fists, hatred fermented constantly in her heart. However, there was nothing she could do. As the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion, she didn't even have a single servant to command. Rage and grief surged within her, culminating in a mournful cry that echoed eerily through the silent night.

But the remote and humble servants' quarters were so far away that even loud voices couldn't carry the celebratory atmosphere of the bustling main hall. All throughout the Dragon Manor, everyone was overjoyed celebrating the marriage of Long Zhan to the Imperial Palace. The fact that a member of the Dragon family had been selected as a sacrificial consort in the Queen's burial had certainly not gone unnoticed by the Royal Family, who intended to reward them handsomely.

...they do not know that a thought, like a venomous snake, is coiled in Longzhan's heart. Hatred has replaced his former kindness, and he desires the family of dragons, everyone who had ever wronged him, to pay with their lives.

If one were to die, the Long family would be deemed disobedient and subject to a massacre. Since death is inevitable anyway, why should only one person suffer such a miserable fate?

A white sash in the dim, yellowish light resembled a clawing monster. A life, quietly hanging on the white sash.

This is the end of one life and the beginning of a new one.

Author's Note: New books in June, please support everyone!