“Damn it!”
The Emperor angrily slammed his dragon desk, sending the written record flying to the floor. He looked as if he were going mad, his face a mixture of pale and green. He didn’t hate the Lou family; instead, he hated his own carelessness for letting the Lou family grow so powerful before he finally woke up.
Fortunately, he realized it in time. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Heaven Phoenix might have been destroyed. Feng Xie’s face was a somber green, his pupils unfathomably deep, as cold and hard as millennium-old Xuan iron.
“Mobilize the elite cavalry and imprison everyone from the Lou family.”
His powerful voice cut through the air, carrying a destructive, bloodthirsty aura. Liu Ting and Jin Zhaoyuan cupped their fists and swiftly received the order: “Your humble servant obeys.”
As they withdrew, Liu Liu’s clear voice echoed from outside: “Are Your Majesty and the Prime Minister discussing matters inside?”
Xiao Wazi’s voice responded cautiously: “Yes, Your Majesty the Empress,”
Who in the palace, from eunuchs to maids, didn’t fear the Empress’s swift and ruthless methods? She had personally assassinated a second-rank official in the imperial court, and Concubine Xiuyi had died from a single word from the Empress.
This Empress was more divine than a fairy; who dared to disrespect her and not wish to live?
Liu Liu entered the study without waiting for Xiao Wazi’s announcement. Feng Xie met Liu Liu’s radiant face, and the anger in his heart subsided considerably.
Liu Liu noticed papers scattered across the study floor. Curiously, she bent down to pick them up and asked, “What happened?”
The Emperor’s face was grim, while the Prime Minister and the Vice Minister of War looked exceedingly cautious. Upon seeing Liu Liu, Feng Xie’s previously furious mood improved, and his expression softened. He gestured to the papers in Liu Liu’s hand.
“The Lou family’s crimes are countless. How can I not be angry? Even the assassination attempt on me last time was done by the Lou family. Their goal was to kill me and put the five-year-old Prince Yu Lou on the throne, allowing the Lou family to control the emperor and command the feudal lords. These detestable wretches! I will never let them off easily.”
Feng Xie’s expression turned grim once more. Liu Liu flipped through the records and evidence in her hand. They were surprisingly complete. Logically, Zhang Zhisan shouldn’t have been so foolish as to easily hand over such incriminating material. Liu Liu’s expression flickered with darkness as she held up the documents and looked at her brother: “Did Zhang Zhisan confess to this?”
“No, it was delivered anonymously to the Ministry of War’s main office. We have no idea who did this,” Jin Zhaoyuan reported respectfully. Liu Liu examined them carefully. Liu Ting, seeing his sister’s detailed inquiry, knew she had a different idea and immediately asked for permission.
“Your Majesty, do you find something amiss?”
Hearing Liu Ting’s words, Feng Xie also noticed Liu Liu’s unusual behavior. She was always so cautious when encountering issues, which indicated a flaw in this matter.
Liu Liu calmly placed the records and evidence on the Emperor’s dragon desk. She looked up to see the three men in the study staring at her expectantly, and she slowly spoke.
“Don’t you find it strange that someone delivered these documents secretly to the authorities? If they had been presented openly, it would have brought immense honor. Even the incompetent would have received a thousand taels of gold. But they chose not to reveal themselves. Is this person doing good deeds anonymously? Do you believe such a person exists?”
Liu Liu’s question was met with the three distinguished men shaking their heads in response.
Feng Xie’s slender eyebrows rose, and his magnetic voice spoke: “It’s evident that this person knows everything about the Lou and Zhang families. Therefore, they must be a person of great influence.”
Liu Ting agreed, thinking this person must be of significant importance. But what was their motive for destroying the Lou family? Did they have a grudge against the Lou family, or was there a crucial reason?
Jin Zhaoyuan, who had already been convinced of the Empress’s capabilities since she dared to kill a second-rank official in court, believed that if the Empress pointed out a flaw, she must have a unique insight. Therefore, Jin Zhaoyuan spoke with great interest: “What has the Empress discovered?”
“Nothing much, it’s as you all think. This person must be someone of great influence, or perhaps the person who delivered these documents is the true mastermind, the one controlling everything. They are merely using His Majesty’s hand to eliminate the Lou and Zhang families. Perhaps the Lou and Zhang families are no longer useful to them and might even cause trouble. So, they sacrificed the Lou and Zhang families.”
Liu Liu’s gaze was icy. She hadn’t expected a bigger fish to be lurking behind the Lou family. But who could this bigger fish be?
The three men in the study froze simultaneously. Their handsome faces showed disbelief. The Lou family was merely a pawn, and the mastermind behind it all was too formidable. Who could they be?
A terrifying adversary. She believed they would soon face each other directly.
“Who could this person be?”
Jin Zhaoyuan pondered with a frown. Was there anyone in this world with such ambition and wisdom? This person was truly a formidable opponent.
The three men simultaneously felt a surge of excitement, their capillaries filling, as if hunters catching the scent of prey’s blood. Perhaps the opponent also felt the same thrill.
Feng Xie’s gaze was sharp and dark, a cold charm flashing across his handsome face as he watched the two men stare at Liu Liu with excitement.
Although he knew they were all concerned with state affairs, he still felt a tinge of discomfort. Annoyed, he waved his hand: “Regardless of who this person is, the Lou family’s ambition is blatant. You two immediately take the iron cavalry and have everyone thrown into prison.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Liu Ting and Jin Zhaoyuan respectfully replied. The Emperor appeared somewhat impatient, clearly annoyed by their enthusiastic discussion with the Empress. A smile flickered across his lips as the two turned to leave. Liu Liu called out at the opportune moment.
“Brother, don’t forget to search the Lou family’s residences thoroughly. I believe you’ll find quite a few good things.”
Her tone was cold, her demeanor wildly bloodthirsty, her eyebrows defiant and unrestrained. Liu Ting nodded in acknowledgment: “Yes, Your servant obeys.”
The study fell silent once more. Liu Liu stood by the bookshelf, casually flipping through the bound volumes. Feng Xie stared at her intently, and after a long pause, he said, “Liu’er, come, sit and have some tea.”
Hearing his magnetic, deep voice, Liu Liu was reminded of their intimacy from the previous night, stirring a ripple of affection. She pursed her lips, smiled, and shook her head: “No, Your Majesty should focus on your work.”
An unspoken affection flowed between them, yet they remained composed, their gazes locked.
One was a cold and domineering emperor, who only lost his composure and even his temper in her presence. The other was arrogant and untamed, who considered the world beneath her, yet in his presence, she revealed a woman’s gentle tenderness, shy and soft.
At this moment, an unspoken understanding dawned upon them. Perhaps from their very first meeting, they were destined for a lifelong entanglement. It was just that in their youth, they had struggled fiercely, trying to break free from the chains of fate, only to be grateful to heaven in the end for letting them meet.