Liu Liu deftly dodged his hand and nonchalantly looked up, a smile playing on her lips as she faced the Emperor. The night was already deep; what business did His Majesty have in the Weiyang Palace? A hidden glint flickered in her eyes, and a cold, mocking smile curled her lips.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. May I ask what brings you here so late?"
"I heard that the palace maid closest to the Empress has been murdered. Is there something amiss?"
Feng Xie had already moved to the high seat, his eyes fixed intently on Liu Liu. Recalling the pleasantness of the previous night, his gaze became fervent.
The woman before him was outwardly cold but inwardly warm. Although she appeared extremely indifferent at the moment, only he knew how passionate she truly was.
This secret, known only to him, made him feel as if he were soaring. Feng Xie's handsome and captivating features became even more unrestrained and flamboyant, his eyebrows dancing, and a smile gracing his lips.
Seeing his excessively excited demeanor, Liu Liu’s expression darkened. Her personal maid had just died, and as the Emperor, he showed no grief. At the very least, he should pretend. Why was he so overjoyed?
"Yes, Your Majesty. Liu'er has discovered who murdered Qiao'er, and I will certainly not let that person go unpunished."
Liu Liu gritted her teeth, a chilling aura of killing intent emanating from her. Feng Xie finally regained some composure and spoke with concern, "Empress, please do not be too sad. If you need more palace maids, I can have Jiang Cheng assign some more attentive ones."
"There is no need. Your Majesty should return now," Liu Liu said, curtsying gracefully, directly dismissing the Emperor.
Her heart was already troubled today, and she did not wish to be in this man's company. Seeing his arrogant display made her angry; he always carried himself with an air of superiority, acting arbitrarily and defiantly.
The regal bearing of an emperor was fully displayed in him. Such a man had likely never known the taste of loss. She sneered.
When Feng Xie heard Liu Liu’s cold dismissal, his expression darkened. His previously ardent gaze became clouded, and a cold smile touched his lips, displeasure evident in his eyes. "Empress, please mind your station."
Perhaps in all the world, she was the only one who could disregard his dominance so easily. Even his mother dared not speak lightly when he was angry, yet this woman showed no fear, as if she were oblivious.
If it were any other woman in the harem, she would likely be overjoyed and diligently trying to please him to gain imperial favor.
Liu Liu looked up at him with a clear, cold gaze. Their eyes met and clashed in the air, sparks flying. The palace maids and eunuchs in the great hall were so startled that none dared to utter a sound, watching cautiously as the Emperor and Empress engaged in a silent battle of wills.
Whether they offended one or the other, they would not fare well. Thus, the great hall fell into a profound silence, so quiet that even the slightest breath could be heard.
The wind blew in from the palace doors, stirring the light silken curtains. The palace lanterns swayed back and forth, and a chilling cold penetrated their thin robes.
Liu Liu shivered slightly, withdrawing her gaze, and heard hurried footsteps approaching from outside the hall.
Everyone turned their attention towards the entrance. Grand Steward Jiang Cheng swiftly appeared, his eyes widening as he saw the Emperor seated on the phoenix bed. He immediately knelt to greet His Majesty.
"This old servant greets Your Majesty."
"What has happened?" Feng Xie asked sternly, seeing the anxiety on Jiang Cheng's face.
Jiang Cheng quickly kowtowed, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead. Despite the late hour, he felt a surge of heat. He hadn't expected someone to be so swift, catching them off guard and murdering Xiao Yun. He felt he had failed the Empress's trust, and his heart was uneasy.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Xiao Yun who was killed by the Empress's palace maid has been murdered. This is my dereliction of duty. I had only left for a moment, and that girl was killed to silence her. I did not expect the perpetrator to be so skilled. It must be someone from the inner palace."
Upon hearing Jiang Cheng's words, Liu Liu’s expression turned as cold as thin ice. The perpetrator must have feared that Xiao Yun would reveal who had instructed her. Was there no way to investigate now? A chilling smile touched Liu Liu’s lips.
"Jiang Cheng, go immediately to the imperial kitchens and investigate who Xiao Yun had been associating with in the past few days and where she had been. I expect to hear news by morning."
"Yes, Empress," Jiang Cheng kowtowed immediately to accept the order. Feng Xie turned his head to gaze at the woman below, her demeanor regal, fearless, calm, and intelligent. His expression shifted, his reactions swift.
It seemed that anyone who dared to touch her people would not fare well. Moreover, someone had committed murder within the palace; this was truly detestable. Feng Xie's expression also turned cold. He parted his thin lips and waved to dismiss Jiang Cheng.
"Good. Go and investigate. Ensure this matter is thoroughly uncovered. It is truly abominable that someone would cause trouble within the palace. Once discovered, they will be severely punished."
The Emperor's deep, magnetic voice echoed through the hall, like a spectral emissary from the underworld, causing Cui'er and Ming Yue, along with other palace maids, to tremble involuntarily, not daring to look at the Emperor.
Although the Emperor was breathtakingly handsome, his chilling and gloomy aura was not something ordinary people could withstand. With just a glare from the Emperor, anyone would be too terrified to stand. It seemed that in this vast harem, only the Empress dared to disregard the Emperor's authority.
"This old servant obeys," Jiang Cheng retreated.
Liu Liu yawned. She was extremely tired. She turned and instructed Cui'er, who was by her side, "See His Majesty out." Then, without looking back, she walked towards the sleeping quarters, completely ignoring the pair of eyes behind her, which burned like ghostly flames, filled with deep, cold blackness.
Feng Xie felt a twitch on the side of his face. He desperately wanted to lunge forward and strangle this woman. She was increasingly disregarding him.
Was it because he had doted on her too much? His mind raced. To be honest, in his memory, this woman had never coexisted peacefully with him. They had always been at odds, so he was certain that this was her consistent nature, not something recent.
Yet, no matter how he punished her, he could not control her emotions. Could he truly kill her, or depose her? Feng Xie’s expression darkened as he thought, rising and flicking his dragon robe.
He walked out with palpable anger, inwardly snorting, "Don't expect me to set foot in this Weiyang Palace again."
As a dignified Emperor, there were plenty of beautiful women in his harem. Why should he endure this woman's temper? As he stepped out, he heard loud voices from behind him.
"We escort His Majesty." It was a chorus of joyful shouts. These servants were as detestable as their mistress. He would have to punish them severely one day to make them understand who the true master of the palace was.
Feng Xie’s figure flashed. His personal eunuch, Xiao Wanzi, along with a few other eunuchs, called out, "Your Majesty, wait for us."
In the dark night, the wind howled. Darkness gradually obscured the clear moonlight. A flash of lightning, and it began to rain heavily, both swift and fast. Under the eaves of the palace, water poured down, its constant sound penetrating the windows and reaching their ears.
The light in the sleeping quarters suddenly went out. Cui'er, who had been resting by the Empress's bedside, cried out in fright and quickly scrambled onto the large bed, huddling together with her mistress. Despite her commotion, she still didn't see her mistress awaken.
After a flash of lightning, the Empress's small face furrowed, and she muttered intermittently, as if having a nightmare.
Cui'er, wanting to comfort her mistress and being frightened herself, reached out and embraced her mistress, constantly whispering, "My lady, it's alright. You're having a nightmare."
Liu Liu continued to speak, then suddenly cried out and woke up, her eyes wide open. She saw Cui'er nestled close to her, embracing her. In the pitch-black palace, she couldn't see her hand in front of her face.
Except for the occasional flashes of lightning, Cui'er’s arms trembled slightly. She knew the girl was scared and quickly reached out to pat Cui'er, "You sleep with me as well. It's alright now."