Xuanhuan: The Empress and I Swapped Bodies - Chapter 11

In the library, a figure suddenly appeared before Ye Wushuang.

With a thud, he dropped to his knees.

“Imperial Sister, please hit me!!”

“??”

The abruptness of this left Ye Wushuang utterly bewildered.

He stared blankly at the chubby yet delicate-featured young boy in front of him, completely unable to process what was happening.

Having spent days by the Empress’s side, Ye Wushuang knew exactly who this was—Liu Shengsheng, the Empress’s younger brother and a prince of the Divine Dragon Empire.

Liu Shengsheng’s mischief was infamous throughout the empire. From climbing trees to raid the nests of divine Vermilion Birds, to sneaking noblewomen into brothels, his antics gave his tutors endless headaches. Yet, as the Empress’s brother, his status was exalted, and no one dared discipline him—except the Empress herself.

Frustrated, people could only complain to the Empress, who would grow furious and punish him severely. A beating was the bare minimum; house arrest was routine. Over time, Liu Shengsheng had grown accustomed to such reprimands.

This time, he had come prepared with a whip and a bundle of thorny branches, intending to endure a beating first to appease the Empress’s anger. Only then would he beg her to teach him her latest supreme cultivation technique.

Except now, the person he was pleading with wasn’t the Empress—it was Ye Wushuang.

Faced with such proactive self-punishment, Ye Wushuang was at a loss.

“What… what are you doing?”

“Imperial Sister, please hit me!”

“Why? Did you cause trouble again?”

“Imperial Sister, I won’t say unless you hit me first!”

Liu Shengsheng was determined to master the supreme technique no one else could learn. Once he returned to the Imperial Academy, he would flaunt his newfound power and make his rivals tremble. For that, he was willing to suffer.

But Ye Wushuang wasn’t falling for it.

“If you don’t explain, I won’t agree to anything.”

“Huh?”

Liu Shengsheng’s face twisted in childish frustration. This wasn’t the response he’d expected. Still, he believed enduring the beating first would make his plea more convincing.

“If you won’t hit me, I’ll do it myself!”

With that, he strapped the thorny branches to his back, grabbed the whip, and began lashing himself mercilessly.

As he struck, he counted aloud.

“One!”
Crack!

“Two!”
Crack!

“Three!”
Crack!

…

“Nine!”
Crack!

Under Ye Wushuang’s stunned gaze, the boy delivered nine brutal lashes, leaving his back torn and bloody. Yet, he grinned through the pain.

“Imperial Sister, nine strikes was the worst you’ve ever given me. Now that I’ve done it myself—and harder—you have to agree!”

“You… you didn’t have to go this far!”

Ye Wushuang never imagined the Empress’s brother would be such an eccentric. The kid was ruthless to himself! No sane person would do this.

Yet, he could tell Liu Shengsheng wasn’t malicious—just deeply attached to his sister. His rebellious antics were simply the quirks of youth.

Softening his tone, Ye Wushuang sighed.

“Fine, tell me what you want. I’ll consider it.”

“Imperial Sister, I want you to teach me your newly created supreme cultivation technique!”

“That’s all?”

“Yes! I swear I’ll never misbehave again!”

Liu Shengsheng vowed earnestly, eyes shining with hope. He knew his request was audacious—supreme techniques were reserved for elders and elite imperial heirs. Only the Empress or the Imperial Advisor could grant exceptions.

He’d braced for rejection.

Instead—

“Alright, I’ll teach you.”

“Wait… really?”

“Of course. Cultivation is a good thing. Next time, just ask—no need for self-flagellation.”

“Just… ask? That’s all? Imperial Sister, are you serious?”

“Naturally. You’re my brother. I want you to grow strong. Strength is everything.”

“I… I…”

For the first time, Liu Shengsheng felt something unfamiliar. The Empress had always been stern, her severity fueling his rebellious streak. He’d acted out to provoke her attention.

But now, her words carried a warmth he’d never known. It left him speechless, his heart swelling with emotions he couldn’t articulate.

All that came out was:

“Then teach me now, Imperial Sister!”

“Very well.”

Ye Wushuang wasn’t sure how to interact with the boy, but he opted for an elder brother’s approach—gentler and more patient than the Empress had ever been.

“How many techniques have you mastered so far?”

“Mastered? Uh…”

“T-Three?”

As a student of the Imperial Academy, one was expected to learn at least one technique per month. In two years, mastering only three was… disgraceful.

Liu Shengsheng hunched his shoulders, bracing for scolding.

But Ye Wushuang simply nodded.

“Three is a start. Mastery matters more than quantity. Show me what you’ve learned.”

“Also, you brought medicine, right? Tend to your wounds.”

“Huh? Oh!”

Today’s “Empress” was bafflingly different. Yet, Liu Shengsheng obediently presented his three techniques:

• Golden Crow Sword Art

• Seven Stars Sword Art

• Yin-Yang Dual Blades

At once, Ye Wushuang understood.

“You want to be a swordsman?”

“Yes! A sword immortal, roaming rivers and mountains, traversing the nine continents and five peaks!”

“A fine dream. Hold onto it—and work hard to make it real.”

Once, Ye Wushuang too had been a dreamer. Life had beaten it out of him. Now, he couldn’t help but encourage the boy.