Cui'er spoke quickly.
"It was a palace maid in red clothes, but her hands were too fast. Our eyes were dazzled. Although this servant doesn't understand martial arts, she could still feel that the palace maid's martial arts must be extremely powerful, not inferior to Your Highness.
Liu Liu frowned. Such formidable skills! How could there be such a powerful expert in the palace? Many palace maids were sent in when they were just a few years old. How could they possess such unfathomable martial arts? This person must be a fake.
But this vast harem is so large, which palace maid is who? It's not good to have Mu Xing and the others identify them one by one. I'm afraid the eyes of the two children will be dazzled.
'Summon the painter immediately,' Liu Liu commanded coldly, waving her hand imperiously. Someone immediately withdrew.
Palace painters have always been skilled. As long as Mu Xing and the others describe the appearance, it shouldn't be difficult to draw this palace maid. Once there's a likeness, they can have eunuchs from various residences identify her. It's believed that news will come soon.
Two young painters were quickly summoned to the grand hall. Upon meeting the Empress and the Crown Prince, and learning that the Empress had asked them to sketch the appearance of a palace maid, they immediately set up brushes, ink, and paper, awaiting the Crown Prince's description.
Little Mu Xing and Xin Hun tried hard to recall the appearance of the palace maid: 'She wasn't very tall, with a small face and a pointed chin, and slender eyebrows.'
They paused here, glancing at each other. Xin Hun habitually bit his finger. He was better at describing people because he had faced all sorts of faces since childhood, so the person's appearance was unforgettable to him.
'Her eyes were also slender, with a terrifying look within. Her mouth was a little thin, oh, right, there was a mole near the corner of her lips.'
After Xin Hun finished speaking, he added, and the painters quickly finished the portrait, looking just like the real person, a beautiful woman's likeness presented on the paper.
Liu Liu and Jie Lan walked to the portrait, gazing intently at the palace maid. They felt a sense of familiarity, as if they had seen her somewhere. Ming Yue, who had been standing far away,
upon hearing the two children's descriptions, showed some surprise. She cautiously walked over, took a look, and then spoke softly.
'Your Highness, this palace maid greatly resembles Wan Rong, a palace maid from Noble Consort Lou's palace.'
'Wan Rong from Noble Consort Lou's palace?'
Liu Liu murmured. Could this Wan Rong be Feng Luo? This Wan Rong seemed to have been Concubine Jin Jiali's palace maid before. It turned out that everything Jin Jiali had done was slowly instigated by this person called Wan Rong.
This man is too terrifying, and despicable and shameless, resorting to any means for revenge.
Liu Liu's expression suddenly turned cold. What should she do now?
If she rushed over with people, what if Lou Sijing refused to admit it?
Liu Liu waved her hand, signaling the painters to withdraw. Jie Lan, standing by, saw that it was getting late and took Xin Hun to bid farewell and return to the Prince Yan's mansion.
Liu Liu led her son to a soft couch on the side, feeling very scared. The thought sent a wave of anger through her. She gazed coldly at the crystal palace lamp in the center of the hall. Lou Sijing, you actually had someone harm my son, so don't blame me for being ruthless.
At this moment, Feng Xie had received the news and rushed over. Fortunately, Liu Liu had instructed the eunuchs not to send the news to the Hall of Cining. The Empress Dowager's health was not good to begin with. If she were startled again, it might lead to another serious illness.
'Your Majesty?'
Liu Liu called out. Feng Xie nodded, pulled his son closer, and examined him from head to toe. After confirming his son was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief and spoke angrily.
'Have you found out where he is? I checked the palace maids brought into the palace by Lou Sijing. That palace maid, Xiao He, is just a young girl. Her physique and way of speaking are nothing like Feng Luo's. So where is Feng Luo hiding?'
Liu Liu smiled coldly.
'I know who Feng Luo is! He's hiding in Changxin Palace, disguised as a palace maid named Wan Rong. I think the real Wan Rong must have been killed and her body disposed of by him.
And he disguised himself as Wan Rong and has been living in the harem. He served by the side of Concubine Shu back then. I believe many of Concubine Shu's actions were his ideas.
I can't believe he started this plan back then. I just wonder why he didn't make a move during the five years Your Majesty was in a slump?'
Feng Xie gave a bitter smile. There were people who assassinated him during these five years as well, but because of his high martial arts skills and the burden on his shoulders, he hadn't succeeded.
Moreover, he couldn't get close to him. He had never entered Changxin Palace for five years.
Thinking back now, it was his persistent devotion that saved his life. If he had entered Weiyang Palace at that time, he would likely have been killed by Feng Luo, who would then have had the Crown Prince ascend the throne, and he would have been the demon controlling the prince to command the lords. This must have been his original plan.
'Since we know Wan Rong is Feng Luo, summon someone!'
Feng Xie shouted to the outside. Yue Ying led the guards in. Liu Liu quickly reached out to stop their actions. 'How could such a cunning person wait for us to catch him? He must have left long ago. But we can expose Lou Sijing's true face and make her personally say whose child Yu Lou is!'
Liu Liu's words made Feng Xie's murderous intent even stronger. At this moment, he wished he could tear Lou Sijing into a million pieces to vent his anger. His eyes were cold and bloodthirsty, his thin lips pressed tightly together. After a long while, he waved his hand, signaling his guards to go out, and turned to look at Liu'er.
'What is Liu'er's plan?'
'Does Your Majesty remember Mu Xing's golden snake? That snake bites once and requires blood exchange for treatment. Noble Consort Lou will reveal herself then.'
Liu Liu's voice was cold and devoid of emotion. Thinking of that woman and Feng Luo colluding to kill her son, her heart was filled with rage. Every mother wants to protect her child and give them the best of everything. Does she, Lou De Fei, have it, and Liu Liu doesn't?
Since she dared to provoke her, then she would spar with her. Liu Liu's beautiful small face was shrouded in a sinister aura, and a killing intent curved her lips.
Feng Xie saw her expression and knew that Lou Sijing had incurred Liu'er's wrath.
Those who angered her never had a good outcome. Feng Xie was one hundred percent sure of this. But Lou Sijing deserved it; she should go to the eighteenth level of hell. He even wanted to give her a stab, his eyes flickering darkly.
Liu Liu felt the Emperor's anger and didn't want to dwell on this matter. 'Your Majesty, don't worry. Liu'er will handle this. By the way, what's the progress on the Lou family and Zhang family cases?'
'They have been thoroughly investigated, and the evidence is conclusive. All those involved in this case have been executed. The Prime Minister and Prince Yan suggested sending all the distant collateral relatives who were not involved to the border to perform labor, which would spare their lives. I have agreed.
Liu Liu said nothing. She thought those people were quite pitiful. They probably didn't benefit much while alive.
But once they committed a crime, they were implicated. This is the flaw of ancient criminal law.
After the Tianfeng Dynasty stabilizes, she must implement new laws and overturn some harsh old systems. Liu Liu's beautiful eyes flickered continuously. Feng Xie, seeing her silent for a long time, asked strangely.
'Liu'er, do you think anything is not right?'
'No,' Liu Liu shook her head, turned and pulled her son over, speaking softly. 'Mu Xing was scared today, and that black scorpion was also smashed by Feng Luo. He was crying terribly earlier.'
Mu Xing, who had just stopped crying, heard his mother's voice and his eyes welled up with tears again. He was sad because he thought Little Black was gone. Although his mother said Little Black would turn into another black scorpion later, he was still sad. Who knew if it would recognize him when it became a different black scorpion?
'Father, Little Black is dead.'
'It's alright. Father will find you another one later.'
Feng Xie reached out and hugged Liu Liu and Mu Xing. As long as their family was together, there was nothing to fear.
No force could destroy them. He originally felt he had let Liu'er and Mu Xing down.
He was afraid that Yu Lou would be unfavorable to Mu Xing when he grew up. Now, he realized what right did that child have to be unfavorable to Mu Xing? He was just a bastard, and the throne would never be his to contend for.