However, Changsun Zhu's subordinates had already sustained injuries. If this continued, they might not fare well.
As astute as Changsun Zhu was, he understood this logic. With a long cry, he glided dozens of feet away, his voice carrying through the cold air.
"Retreat."
A clear voice echoed from mid-air:
"Third Miss Mu, we shall meet again. When that time comes, this Prince will tell you why Emperor Xian took you as his Empress. He is perhaps also a despicable person."
This was followed by a series of laughter, seemingly quite amused.
Mu Qingyao's delicate brows were dusted with frost as she glared at the spot where the figures had vanished into the dark night sky.
What did his words mean?
Did Emperor Xian have other motives for making her his Empress? Aside from dealing with the Empress Dowager in the palace, was there another reason?
With no answer to be found, she stood stunned until a voice as cold as ice reached her ears.
"Third Miss Mu, are you alright?"
Mu Qingyao looked up to see Prince Nan'an, Murong Liuzhao, looking down at her from his horse.
She disliked the feeling of being looked down upon. Frowning in displeasure, she glared back and spoke in a somber tone, "So Prince Nan'an's abilities are merely this? If not for Bing Xiao, I don't know how I would report this dereliction of duty to His Majesty!"
Murong Liuzhao did not expect this woman to speak such words. He clenched his fist in anger and glared at Mu Qingyao.
The evening breeze blew, lifting his black robes and ink-black hair, making them dance wildly in the air. After a long moment, he released his fist, extended his long arm, and surprisingly lifted Mu Qingyao, suspending her in mid-air. He smirked, a cold curve on his lips.
"Don't think you can be so arrogant just because His Majesty made you Empress. The road ahead is still long."
His tone was one of utter disdain. In the darkness, Mu Qingyao's eyes emitted a piercing glow. With a flick of her wrist, a resounding slap echoed.
"You deserve to be hit! Who gave you permission to insult a woman so casually? You are the arrogant one, you wretch."
The slap was so forceful that it cast a deathly silence over the surroundings. The heavens and earth seemed to be shrouded in an aura of death, permeated with the strong stench of decay.
Prince Nan'an, who had always been high and mighty, had been struck, and by a woman no less.
Prince Nan'an had always regarded women as nothing. Perhaps this was divine retribution. In any case, his eyes widened like copper bells in the dark night, bloodshot and monstrously fierce. He gritted his teeth, gasping for air.
"Mu Qingyao, you damnable woman, how dare you strike me? Have you borrowed courage from heaven?"
A clap of thunder exploded in her ears, its roar shaking the heavens.
Mu Qingyao nearly fainted from the sound. Her body still dangled in mid-air, swaying back and forth. After recovering from her dizziness, she met Murong Liuzhao's face.
The man's face was not only dark, but his eyes had turned green, revealing his pearly white teeth. He looked as if he wanted to devour her alive.
A wise person knows when to retreat. As this thought crossed Mu Qingyao's mind, she leaped and kicked his horse directly in the flank. The horse, in pain, reared up on its hind legs, as if it had been given medicine, and began to buck wildly.
Murong Liuzhao was startled. He hadn't expected this woman to kick his horse. As the horse lost control, he could only reach out to rein it in.
At the critical moment, Mu Qingyao made her move. With a powerful palm strike, she unleashed all her strength. Prince Nan'an, Murong Liuzhao, in pain, released his grip.
In the darkness, Mu Qingyao gracefully landed aside, her voice cold as she declared, "You presumptuous fellow! If you dare to belittle women again, you'll regret it."
Her voice faded as she departed, her robes fluttering away. Her maid, Mo Chou, followed closely behind. The two slender figures leaped over the courtyard wall in the blink of an eye.
Murong Liuzhao had regained control of his distressed horse. He looked up; the woman had vanished.
Anger surged through him like a tidal wave. With a wave of his hand, nearby trees cracked and split in two. His dozen or so subordinates dared not make a sound.
The night was deep when Bing Xiao, carrying a lantern, gracefully approached. Her gentle voice rang out.
"Your Highness, this subordinate will take her leave."
"You may go," Murong Liuzhao had calmed down from his earlier fury. He would not let that woman off lightly for the humiliation he had suffered today.
Mu Qingyao, how dare you kick and hit me? I hope you can afford the price.
If you ever fall into my hands, I will never forgive you.
A chilling aura permeated the air. Bing Xiao and the others obeyed, their figures soaring away with ethereal grace, like apparitions in the dark night.
Geng Han, one of Prince Nan'an's subordinates, arrived from a distance. Earlier, they had fallen for Changsun Zhu's diversionary tactic, which had led to the Prince suffering a silent defeat at the hands of the Third Miss Mu. The Prince would surely not forgive them, so he dismounted his horse.
"This subordinate deserves death. I beg Your Highness to punish me."
Murong Liuzhao snorted, gazing at Geng Han with a cool, indifferent voice. "If anything else happens to Miss Mu, bring your head to me."
With that, he pulled on the reins, and the horse galloped away, kicking up dust, its dozen or so subordinates following closely behind. In a flash, the night fell silent, as if nothing had happened.
However, Geng Han, kneeling on the ground, broke out in a cold sweat.
Just moments ago, his heart had been in his throat. He thought he was going to lose his life, but instead, he had escaped from the gates of hell. His legs felt weak.
A subordinate behind him quickly stepped forward to support him. "Guard Geng, are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
This was clearly a lie. He had nearly lost his life. Was this fine? However, he had managed to save his life. Geng Han's gaze pierced through the tall courtyard walls and landed directly in the depths within.
Why had the Third Miss Mu transformed from a lovesick woman into a sought-after treasure, with everyone vying for her? What had gone wrong?
In the Liuli Palace, it was as bright as day. Dragon's eye-sized night-blooming pearls were embedded in the bronze pillars carved with dragons and phoenixes, emitting a vibrant radiance. The vast palace seemed to be covered with a thin veil, exuding a sacredness amidst luxury. Dragon saliva incense burned in a golden cauldron, its tendrils of smoke drifting elegantly.
In front of the imperial bedchamber, Ah Jiu, dressed in a deep blue eunuch's robe, led several young eunuchs guarding the door.
His Majesty had gone to bed early today. Ah Jiu, fearing that someone might wake the Emperor, was personally keeping watch, forbidding any clumsy eunuchs from making the slightest sound.
His Majesty was a light sleeper; even the slightest disturbance would prevent him from sleeping well.
Ah Jiu was handsome and delicate. For a man, he possessed an elegant charm. Many, upon first sight, lamented that such an outstanding beauty was actually a eunuch.
In truth, Ah Jiu was not originally a eunuch. In his childhood, he was a beggar on the streets. When he was almost beaten to death, he was rescued by the Crown Prince, who was on his way to Mount Tian to study martial arts.
From then on, Ah Jiu followed the Crown Prince. Only by staying by his side did he feel safe. However, Ah Jiu never expected that the person he was following would be the future Emperor.