Chapter 232: The Good Days Have Come to an End

Chapter 232: The Good Days Have Come to an End
Translator: YHHH Editor: Book_Hoarder
"The erhu which you have promised to show me, did you it bring it along?" The empress's voice drifted into Ren Baqian's ears. Immediately, he was petrified.
"Damn, I have actually forgotten about it. But, the empress still remembered…" Ren Baqian was troubled, and his face turned bitter, almost resembling a bitter gourd.
The empress looked at Ren Baqian's expression, and she understood what was going on. Then, she faintly said, "It's considered lying to me and that's a punishable crime by law!"
Ren Baqian almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Your Majesty, I have been busy preparing the Chinese-style floor lamps as well as the electrical accumulator these past few days…" Ren Baqian replied promptly.
"It's considered lying to me and that's a punishable crime by law…"
Ren Baqian wanted to cry but no tears came out. He felt that those who filmed the Qing Dynasty television series ought to be strangled to death. If it wasn't for them, how would the empress learn a sentence like that.
"This time…I encountered a huge change in my life!" Ren Baqian immediately changed his argument.
"Oh?" Upon hearing what Ren Baqian said, she was slightly curious. At the very least, it seemed like nothing happened to him currently. This indicated that it wasn't a huge problem.
"The both of you can take your leave." Upon seeing Ren Baqian's gaze, she waved her hand and said to Hong Luan and Qing Yuan.
Qing Yuan was unhappy as she still wanted to listen to what exactly happened to Deputy Ren. At the same time, she was also curious about where he went.
These days, both Qing Yuan and Hong Luan had discovered that there were strange things appearing in the palace. For example, this lamp which could be lit without adding oil as well as the talking box that was in the empress's hand.
This made the both of them come up with all sorts of conjectures.
Unfortunately, the empress didn't allow them to listen to what was going on.
"Go ahead and speak," the empress said right after Qing Yuan and Hong Luan left.
"Your Majesty, there are things which you don't know. This time, when I just got back to my apartment on Earth, I heard someone making noise upstairs. Immediately, my heart tightened as I thought an accident has occurred… At this moment, the culprit thrust the dagger at me. Your Majesty knows my situation. I was dumbstruck at that moment and managed to dodge the attack. However, there wasn't only one person, but, two of them…"
Ren Baqian narrated what happened for more than ten minutes. Equipped with his tone and expressions, he told the story of himself encountering the thieves and then counter-attacking them, as though it was a Hollywood blockbuster with uninhibited twist and turns. It was extremely disturbing. If one listened to his side of the story, he or she would definitely think that Ren Baqian met the marine corps and not two thieves.
For this reason, he intentionally showed the wound on his ribs to the empress.
"At last, I spent three days at the police station before they finally released me. I have been thinking about Your Majesty for the past three days there. Once I was released from the police station, I immediately went to retrieve this electrical accumulator as well as the Chinese-style floor lamps before rushing to meet Your Majesty. Only then did my desolate heart finally fall to the ground and found a place where it belonged." At the end, Ren Baqian talked rubbish in a deadpan manner.
The empress took a look at him and shook her head gently, "Forget about it, I'll let you off this time."
Ren Baqian could finally relax. "It is not that I didn't want to bring the erhu, but there were just too many twist and turns. I was mentally and physically exhausted during the three days in the police station. Moreover, I longed for Your Majesty as well. That's why, I postponed this matter."
"I can't tell that you are mentally and physically tired, but, your face is indeed glowing with health," the empress said indifferently and was smiling with her eyes.
The empress didn't know how many percent of what Ren Baqian said was the truth. But, it was a fact that he ran into a problem.
In fact, many a time, women don't mind if whatever you said isn't completely true. Rather, so long as she thinks that whatever you said is true, and she's willing to believe it, all will be good.
Even though the empress felt that Ren Baqian had somewhat exaggerated the story he told, but seeing that he was really injured, she didn't really care if Ren Baqian actually forgot about the erhu. On the contrary, because of Ren Baqian's bitter experience this time, she got reminded of another issue.
"Indeed, your skills are lacking. You don't even have the strength to defend yourself when coming across danger. Although your martial arts skill will improve sooner or later, without real combat capabilities, even people who are far less powerful than you can kill you easily.
From tomorrow onwards, I will get someone to teach you martial arts. You are not allowed to be lazy at all. Otherwise, if you are killed by someone, even if I am able to take revenge for you, you will not be able to rise from death. The previous time is an example and it will be the same this time round," the empress continued, and in her voice, there was a little bit of concern. But, it was enough that it could be felt.
"Many thanks, Your Majesty," Ren Baqian said softly.
He also knew that what the empress said was right.
In a world like this, nobody knew what kind of things they would encounter at any point in time.
In particular, the difference in the fighting capabilities between himself and the others was too great, and the corresponding danger was greatly enhanced as well. If he really encountered something similar to the previous time, he would have no other choice but to resign himself to his fate.
"I will try my best," Ren Baqian complied.
It seemed that the empress didn't care about his determination and said, "I will watch you."
Ren Baqian, "..."
That afternoon, the empress was sitting on a chair and beside her, was a small table with fruits, candies, popcorn, as well as beverages.
Behind her was a huge imperial canopy that was like a parasol that covered the sunlight.
There was also Qing Yuan and Hong Luan by her side. One of them massaged her shoulders while the other was fanned her.
Ren Baqian turned his head to look at the empress. Then, he looked at the bodyguard in front of him, whose body type was exactly like Arnold Schwarzenegger's. He was dumbfounded.
Didn't she say that I will be taught? Why am I down for a battle?
"The fastest way is to learn directly from battles." This was what the empress had just said in the past scene.
But, at present, is it a matter of battling? At this moment, I am going to be beaten up by the other party unilaterally.
"Begin, such a dilly dally." The empress was eating popcorn by the side, which was followed by grapes and a mouthful of wine.
It fully interpreted the saying "bystanders who are ignorant of the truth and facts and are just there for the show".
"Deputy Ren, I'll go easy on you." That bodyguard restrained his laughter.
Ren Baqian genuinely wanted to spit on his face.
"Your Majesty, I think that it's still better for me to learn some moves first," Ren Baqian couldn't help but look back and say.
"No worries, you'll know how to fight after a while," the empress said casually.
Ren Baqian looked helplessly at the muscular bodyguard that was across from him. He made a firm resolution, shouted out loudly and dashed towards the other party.
His imposing manner was threatening, and he was like a rabid dog.
Then, he flew back at a faster speed than when he flew outwards.
A huge footprint was imprinted on his chest.
Ren Baqian held onto his chest and lay on the floor, looking at the sky while muttering to himself, "Such is life!"
"Don't skive, I'm watching you," the empress told him with a smile as she ate the popcorn and drank the sorghum wine.
…
After more than two hours had passed, Ren Baqian was lying on the floor and his whole body was covered in dust. With the exception of his face, there wasn't a single part of his body that was okay.
"Your Majesty, I really can't do this. I feel like I'm seriously injured." Ren Baqian's voice was like an extremely sorrowful cuckoo that was full of resentment,
"Oh, I'll teach you a set of boxing techniques tomorrow. You'll practice again," the empress capitulated.
Ren Baqian lay on the ground and didn't have any intention of getting up. If the empress had said this earlier, there was no need for him to get beaten up.
By this point, the sun had already set. Ren Baqian looked at the setting sun and thought of himself running in the sunset previously… as well as his youth that was gone forever.
"You are too crafty and lazy. If it were someone else and they had this opportunity, they would be itching to practice diligently every day. But, you never even thought about it before. If you don't experience any hardships, you will definitely goof off.
In future, you will handle things in the morning, train on odd-numbered days and spar on even-numbered days in the afternoon," the empress said sternly.
Upon hearing these words, Ren Baqian knew that his good days had come to an end.
...
Even though Ren Baqian got bashed up, he still enjoyed an unusual massage in the evening. A middle-aged lady, who's position was unknown, continuously hit his back with ointment in her palm and got rid of all the blood clots and bruises on him. After an hour had passed, she got up and left. Ren Baqian felt that his entire body was loosened up. Also, the fatigue and pain from during the daytime had practically disappeared, causing every single cell in his body to shout the word, "Refreshing!"