Chu Mingzhao's memories came flooding back, and her original self had indeed said those words.
[Ding—]
Before she could react, the damned system notification arrived, late but inevitable.
[Key plot point detected: Fighting poison with poison.]
[Original text excerpt in progress…]
Once again, faint blue characters materialized before Chu Mingzhao's eyes:
[A cruel smile curled across Chu Mingzhao's delicate, radiant face. She covered her lips with a dainty laugh. "Since he has frostbite, he naturally needs something hot to warm him up. Men, pour this boiling oil over Young Master Pei and give him a proper bath!"]
[Please complete a reasonable modification within ten seconds. If not modified, the original plot will be enforced.]
[Current permission: LV1 (modify one character). Countdown begins: 10, 9, 8…]
Chu Mingzhao's heart was in chaos. Damn you, system! This is boiling oil!
If that bucket went down, could Pei Yan's cold, otherworldly face still survive?
Once that bastard turned the tables later, this bucket of boiling oil would be poured back onto her a hundredfold or a thousandfold, maybe even with some cumin and chili powder, and she'd be deep-fried!
How could she change it?
Chu Mingzhao's mind raced, sparks practically flying.
Change "oil" to "water"? That would still be third-degree burns at least. What essential difference was there from boiling oil? It was just the difference between steaming and frying.
Did a grudge-holder like Pei Yan care whether she wanted to steam him or fry him?
Maybe change "boiling" to "cold"?
In the dead of winter, pouring a bucket of sticky, cold cooking oil over someone…
Just imagining that scene made Chu Mingzhao's stomach churn.
To someone as clean-freakish as Pei Yan, this kind of nauseating humiliation wouldn't hurt much physically but would be immensely insulting—probably earning even more hatred than boiling oil.
[5, 4…]
Chu Mingzhao's gaze locked onto the two characters for "boiling oil."
Since she couldn't change the temperature, she had to change the substance itself!
What was this system called? The Erotica Pen System!
What was its core logic? It was about smut! About tension!
What kind of oil was the most suggestive?
That had to be…
[3, 2…]
A stroke of inspiration struck Chu Mingzhao. She traced her finger swiftly through the air and jabbed forcefully at the character for "boiling."
A golden light flashed.
[Modification successful! Plot reloading…]
The original characters instantly twisted and shifted:
[…She covered her lips with a dainty laugh. "Since he has frostbite, he naturally needs something hot to warm him up. Men, pour this essential oil over Young Master Pei and give him a proper bath!"]
Chu Mingzhao: ??? This could actually work?
Wait, did the word "essential oil" even exist in ancient times? System, aren't you being a bit too forward?
System: [Interpretation rights belong to this system. As long as it aligns with Po-value logic, anything is possible.]
[Time flow restored.]
"Miss?" Cuizhu called out tentatively, seeing Chu Mingzhao lost in thought. "This oil…"
Chu Mingzhao took a deep breath, struggling to maintain her inscrutable expression.
She spoke slowly, her voice carrying a hint of laziness and nonchalance. "Cuizhu, your memory is getting worse by the day. When did I ever say I wanted cooking oil?"
Cuizhu was taken aback. "Huh? But Miss, you said hot oil…"
"That's for pigs."
Chu Mingzhao glanced disdainfully at the still-smoking bucket of cooking oil, raising her hand to cover her nose and mouth as if smelling something putrid.
"Pei Yan is just a dog, but I still want to keep that face of his around to look at. If it got burned, what would there be to entertain me?"
As she spoke, she leisurely smoothed the stray strands by her temples. A naturally seductive flirtation spilled from the corners of her eyes as she pointed a nail painted bright red at the glass bottle on her dresser.
"That's the rose dew tribute from the Western Regions brought in a few days ago. You go fetch it and mix it into warm almond oil. It's the essence of a hundred flowers, the best thing for nourishing skin."
Cuizhu grew even more confused.
"Miss, that was a gift from His Majesty to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister specially left it for you! A single drop is worth a fortune! You… you want to use that for him… to bathe?"
This was such a waste of a precious thing! If she meant to torture him, that scalding cooking oil would have peeled his skin right off. How satisfying would that be!
Chu Mingzhao didn't even lift her eyelids, her tone indifferent. "What do you know? If he were really burned, who would test my whip for me these next few days? Besides…"
She leaned forward slightly, her eyes shimmering with coquettish allure.
"I love the scent of roses the most. Since he's going to be my dog, he needs to be marinated through and through. If that nice skin of his is ruined, wouldn't it… prickle to the touch?"
Cuizhu shuddered. She felt her mistress's words were more twisted than just pouring hot oil.
Marinate someone through and through? And touch him?
No wonder she was the number one finicky beauty of the capital—her methods of torment were both… refreshingly original and terrifying.
"S-Servant will do it at once!" Cuizhu dared not say another word and scurried off to prepare.
Chu Mingzhao watched her go, let out a long sigh of relief, and collapsed back onto the soft couch.
Soon, a huge redwood bathtub was carried in.
The carved basin walls were inlaid with mica flakes that refracted a hazy glow under the candlelight. Steam rose from the tub, and a thick layer of bright red rose petals floated on the water's surface, undulating with the ripples—decadent and intoxicating.
Cuizhu stood to the side holding the glass bottle, her expression complicated.
Inside was the finest almond oil mixed with Western Regions rose dew, a suggestive pale pink liquid that gave off an exotic fragrance with the slightest shake.
"Go, bring that dog in."
Chu Mingzhao leaned half-reclining on a chaise lounge, lazily winding a strand of hair around her finger as she gave the order.
She seemed calm, but inside she was panicking like crazy.
She had barely managed to bluff her way through earlier, but the actual hands-on part was the real challenge. As a single woman who had never even dated in her twenty-something years, she was suddenly supposed to bathe this future tyrant?
Was this even a human thing to do?
Not long after, the door curtain was roughly shoved aside.
Two burly maids dragged Pei Yan inside and threw him unceremoniously to the floor.
Pei Yan stumbled and landed on one knee, barely managing to steady himself.
He did not resist. In the face of absolute power disparity, that shred of pride was only good for maintaining his last bit of dignity.
His torn, beaten cotton coat had been stripped away, leaving only a thin inner garment clinging wet and cold to his skin, outlining the lean yet taut lines of his back.
The wave of heat hitting him as he entered the room did not warm him; instead, it made his frostbitten skin itch and ache even more.
Pei Yan lifted his head. His black, phoenix-like eyes pierced through the swirling mist and locked onto the woman on the couch.
He caught a strong, voluptuous scent.
It smelled like flower nectar rotted to its extreme—a sickly, rich sweetness.
In the center of the room stood the huge redwood bathtub. Steam billowed from it, obscuring the depth, while only that cloying fragrance wafted out unendingly.
Pei Yan lowered his gaze, a bitter, ironic smile curving the corner of his mouth. A thick, brooding malice gathered deep in his eyes.
He had heard Chu Mingzhao's instructions to the maid earlier.
Boiling oil poured over his body—even if he didn't die, his skin would peel away.
Pei Yan clenched his jaw.
Chu Mingzhao, if I do not die today, I will repay this burning oil a hundredfold upon you in the days to come!
