Liu Liu did not speak, but Dai Mei, standing beside her, chimed in, her voice tinged with displeasure.
“Jin Shaoyuan, why are you suddenly appearing in broad daylight and frightening people?”
Normally, Jin Shaoyuan would have teased Dai Mei, but today, in front of his master, he dared not be presumptuous, so he replied coldly.
“Miss Dai Mei, my master wishes to see you. It is not my intention to be abrupt.”
Dai Mei was stunned. Wasn't his master the current emperor? No wonder her master’s body had stiffened earlier; it turned out someone from the palace had appeared. Thinking of the suffering her master had endured, Dai Mei’s delicate face flushed with anger, and her voice turned icy.
“Does his master wish to see us, so we must meet? How ridiculous! Let’s go.” Dai Mei snorted coldly, reaching out and swiftly pulling Liu Liu’s hand, preparing to leave.
Feng Xie would not stand by and watch someone escape after being apprehended. With a wave of his hand, his two subordinates, Ri Ying and Yue Ying, blocked Dai Mei and Liu Liu’s path.
“Have the two ladies not heard Master Jin’s words?” Ri Ying’s stern words fell upon Dai Mei’s ears. Dai Mei’s charming face broke into a smile instead of anger. Her smile was alluring and captivating, causing Ri Ying to falter for a moment. The next second, he received a crisp slap.
“You dog servant, what are you?”
“You?” Ri Ying did not expect this woman to be such a poisonous poppy. If she hadn’t charmed him, would he have suffered such a hidden loss?
Furious in his heart, he flicked his long sword. It moved like a dragon emerging from water, swift and hateful, stabbing directly at Dai Mei. Dai Mei showed no weakness. Her martial arts were not inferior; with a flick of her body, she agilely dodged the sharp tip like a flying swallow.
With a raise of her hand, a brocade whip appeared in her grasp. The whip straightened like a piece of silk, yet was as flexible as a soft sword, winding directly around Ri Ying’s wrist. Ri Ying’s martial arts were rarely seen in the world.
With a raise of his hand, the long whip missed its mark. For a moment, the two of them fought fiercely. Liu Liu raised her delicate eyebrows. She was surprised that Feng Xie watched with an amused expression, seemingly with no intention of stopping his subordinates. This behavior made her furious, and she let out a cold huff.
“What kind of man bullies even women? Just a brute.”
Her voice reached Feng Xie’s ears. He moved, landing beside Liu Liu, his tall and upright body enveloping her, pressing against her.
“You seem afraid of me. Have we met before? Qi Ye,” Feng Xie, being keen, detected Liu Liu’s unease.
A cold expression flashed across Liu Liu’s beautiful face. She hadn’t expected the emperor to be so perceptive, seeing through her identity at the first encounter.
However, he was not Feng Xie at this moment, and she was not the empress of the current dynasty. She suddenly felt like venting her anger. With a thought, her small hand moved with lightning speed, locking Feng Xie’s Renying acupoint.
This sudden turn of events stunned everyone present, including Feng Xie himself. He hadn't expected this youth’s martial arts to be so formidable and his moves so ruthless, capturing him so swiftly.
Feng Xie’s face turned green. This was the price of his carelessness. Only he knew this boy was serious. The palm force from his hand, sinister and wind-generating, penetrated through his Renying acupoint to his Adam’s apple, causing a stinging sensation like tiny needles.
“Qi Ye, what are you doing? Who instructed you?” Feng Xie’s cold gaze swept over the young face, which was as clear and flawless as fine jade, but held disdain and coldness in its eyes. He secretly pondered if he had offended this boy.
“Who sent me? What do you think?” Liu Liu chuckled playfully, her breath like orchid scent blowing into Feng Xie’s ear. She was so close to him, his skin felt like fine silk, smooth and elastic. His eyebrows were long and sharp like meticulously cut blades, and his eyes held a sharp glint, as deep and dark as a tranquil pool.
His eyelashes were long and dense, slightly curled, giving his face a three-dimensional and more sculpted appearance. The corners of his thin lips curled into a cold smile, as if he didn't take her threat seriously at all.
Facing death with such composure, she felt a sense of admiration in her heart, but she did not relax her grip, adding another twenty percent of her strength.
She imagined her Adam’s apple was being pricked by thousands of needles. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his cheeks, and his lips trembled slightly, yet he remained silent.
However, everyone present was skilled in martial arts. Who wouldn’t know the suffering the emperor was enduring at this moment? Jin Shaoyuan’s face darkened, his pupils constricting. If the emperor were to have an accident, the empire would fall into chaos, and they would be responsible even unto death.
“Qi Ye, you are indeed Qi Ye! What are you doing? He is…?” Jin Shaoyuan hadn’t expected this youth to be Qi Ye. He had been deceived by him yesterday, and his face was grim.
But with the emperor in his hands, he could only suppress his anger. Just as he was about to announce Feng Xie’s identity, he heard Feng Xie’s hoarse, cold command: “Silence.”
He wasn't so eager to cling to life that he needed to reveal his identity to beg for survival.
Upon hearing the emperor’s command, Jin Shaoyuan dared not speak further. His eyes were bloodshot, and he bit his lip, wishing he could fight Qi Ye to the death.
If he dared to harm the Emperor, he would never let him off. And Dai Mei, though he harbored strange feelings for Dai Mei, would never allow anyone to harm the Emperor.
Ri Ying had already stopped fighting and rushed over, looking anxiously at the unfolding scene, his scalp tingling. If their master met with trouble, they would surely follow him to the death.
“Speak, who sent you? So that I may die knowing,” Feng Xie was still able to speak with a semblance of composure. The onlookers held their breath, afraid to make a sound.
Dai Mei flashed to Liu Liu’s side, her heart filled with apprehension. What did her master intend to do? Would she really kill the Emperor? Then the empire would be in chaos.
“Master?” Dai Mei called out softly.
Liu Liu remained silent, merely gazing at Feng Xie playfully. Seeing him suffer now brought her some relief. Feng Xie, compared to what you did to me, this is nothing.
The wind blew down blossoms, scattering them onto their heads. The scene was dreamlike, yet carried a murderous intent. Both of them became alert.
Who was it? Her body moved, pulling him to the side. The force in her hand loosened slightly, and the pain in his neck disappeared. He dimly realized that this youth did not intend to kill him, but why had he captured him?
Feng Xie’s handsome face did not look elsewhere, but kept gazing at this youngster. His expression had shifted from hostility.
He was only paying attention to his surroundings, his demeanor so detached and distant that it reminded him of someone – his Empress. For some reason, he sometimes thought of her, even though he disliked her. Yet, he still remembered her detached grace, her solitary existence, cut off from the world.
Assassins? Liu Liu cried out softly, releasing him. She had never intended to take his life.
Following Liu Liu’s soft cry, a chilling aura swept through, and a large number of black-clad figures surrounded them.
These were the real assassins, weren't they? Who were they? The bone-chilling hatred fell upon Feng Xie, wishing to tear him into pieces.
However, when the gaze of the leader swept over Liu Liu, who stood beside Feng Xie, a fleeting dark glint flashed in his eyes. With a wave of his hand, he commanded: “Attack.”
The voice was cold and sharp, devoid of any emotion, chillingly cold. Although it was a warm, humid summer day, it made one feel the icy cold of winter.
Feng Xie knew these assassins were after him. He stepped forward, blocking Liu Liu. He spoke with a contained arrogance.
“How dare you! What do you want?”
“To kill you,” the concise two words fell. The figure flew over like a willow leaf, caught by the wind. Her black robe lifted, revealing her slender form. No one expected the leader of these assassins to be a woman. What deep hatred did she harbor for Feng Xie?