The Ant Woman Ch. 16

He knew even the tips of his ears were reddening. She didn't even seem concerned.

His voice was chilled. "Atsuka, have I ever been unjust to you?"

She was looking at his belt, or that's what he thought. It was possible that she wasn't seeing anything except her own madness.

The heel of one hand was nearly pierced by his fingernails. "When you were offered to my Royal Father, he decided it would be better to have you marry me. Your life only improved, no? Instead of an old ruler's concubine you became a Crown Prince's legal wife, and then you became Empress Consort. There isn't a luxury in all of Junshu you didn't have access to." His words tightened. "And yet you've behaved as if the world is your enemy. You've abused those who've only shown you respect."

Unflinching, the woman only gazed out.

"I don't know if you even understand how deep you've fallen!" His fingernails left his hand. There were small, faint, bloody marks left behind. He turned his head to one side and looked down at the floor. "I can't leave this unpunished. You'll be deposed, divorced, and sent away!"

Again, he thought of Wen, struggling, suffering, her clothing crudely pulled away. A shivering feeling rolled and danced in his throat. Then he had to force a swallow's worth of vomit out of his throat and back to his stomach. His bloody palm slapped into his lips.

The Emperor's head shook back and forth. His long braid swung. A black and gold ornament with tassels was attached to this braid, and it swung too. His hand slid down his chin and then hung down. A little blood was smeared on his face. He almost felt lightheaded.

His voice was quieter this time. "I'll find the most remote temple available, and you'll be sent there to live the rest of your time as an impoverished student, scripture and prayer day after day."

After that, the Empress finally spoke, although her voice was mechanical. "Your Majesty, what's a homosexual woman in this empire meant to do?"

Homosexual?!

His eyes closed as he absorbed this information. "Is that why my wife doesn't enjoy my grace?" He almost laughed. "I suppose I should be relieved to know I haven't been unpleasant; it was only a matter of preferences." He tilted his head back to stare at the intricately tiled ceiling, where colors such as green, yellow, blue, and red all popped out. "But homosexuality isn't a reason, nor an excuse to be a sexual predator. When I release the official decree, I'll be certain to give my exact reasoning as to why you are to be treated this way. It's because you are a sexual predator. That's the terminology I'll use. I won't use the word homosexual at all."

But it should be noted that it wouldn't matter. The shame of being a female homosexual, or the shame that was enforced by Junshun high society, would be placed upon Atsuka. Nobody in her family would even think to object to this punishment.

It didn't take long for Atsuka to be seized by eunuchs. One by one, each precious ornament in her hair was plucked away, the combs, the hairsticks, the chains, the flowers, everything. Her clothing was torn away from her body and she was put in a gray outfit. Her makeup was briskly washed away. Her jewelry, including her fingernail guards, were pulled off with no care. The paint on her fingernails was forcibly rubbed and washed away. Even her teeth were cleaned. They looked like common, plain, beige teeth when all was finished.

The Emperor wanted to kick his desk over.

Somehow, he couldn't find the strength.

He settled for sinking to his knees and folding his arms over the tabletop, resting his cheek there.

All this time, he'd been married to such a monster, and he had no idea.

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