Nangong Yue looked at Liu Liu above, so noble, honored, and extraordinary. She was the kind of pearl that would shine even in a crowd.
It seemed his decision was the right one; all he needed to do was protect her.
To give her care and help when she needed it, without selfishly trying to keep her by his side. She was someone who could rule the world; the people of Tianfeng were fortunate to have such an Empress.
Liu Liu’s face was filled with coldness, her gaze icy.
Since Feng Xie unconditionally trusted her, she would handle this disappearance case.
Hua Wuyou, I didn’t expect us to be adversaries. I cannot stand by and watch you destroy Fengyue City. With a flick of her hand, her cold resolve surged.
“My Lord Prefect, their objective is quite clear. These twenty women are merely a warning. The daughters of the wealthy families will be next to fall into their clutches. Immediately compile a list of all the daughters from prominent families in Fengyue City, then mobilize all individuals with martial arts skills, and assign personnel to guard each household to ensure these women are safe from their venomous claws.”
Liu Liu calmly issued her orders. The Prefect and his stewards repeatedly nodded, impressed by the young person’s sharp and intelligent mind, his analysis utterly convincing.
The thought of others falling victim to their wickedness turned the Prefect and his subordinates pale. They trembled, unable to stand straight. Many of them had daughters, and their faces were ashen with despair.
“Yes.”
“Go and prepare at once,” Liu Liu said, her face darkening and her voice sharp and ruthless, filled with chilling murderous intent, seeing their paralysis by fear, their lack of action.
The Prefect and the steward immediately hurried into the inner administrative office. Liu Liu looked towards Ri Ying and Yue Ying below.
“You two stay and assist these people. Furthermore, Hua Wuyou has always been ostentatious and overbearing; the more difficult a task, the more he will pursue it. Tonight, the first targets for him will be the daughters of these officials. Therefore, we will split up and make sure to capture Hua Wuyou.”
“Yes.”
Ri Ying and Yue Ying immediately nodded and respectfully accepted the orders. Their master’s attitude made everything clear; from now on, the Empress’s commands were equivalent to the master’s commands. The two then walked into the inner hall of the Prefectural Yamen. The other three people in the main hall looked at Liu Liu.
“Tonight, we shall play the game of ‘luring the tiger into the inner chamber.’ He will definitely be the first to arrive at the Prefectural Yamen,” Liu Liu declared confidently, her demeanor radiating an irrepressible wildness, her star-like eyes filled with the world’s beauty, dazzling and captivating.
Feng Xie’s refined features were etched with a doting smile, a hint of admiration mixed with indulgence as he let her act freely.
She would be his most fitting Empress, and together they would strive to make Tianfeng more prosperous and flourishing. In ten years, all of this would be the world of Mu Xing.
“Alright, we shall wait here.”
Her unrestrained ardor, carrying the magnificent momentum of the sea, captivated not only Feng Xie but also Nangong Yue and Zhan Yun.
Having such a person as an ally brought an exhilarating rush of blood, much like a wild leopard in the mountains patiently waiting for its prey.
Waiting was a long process. None of them had eaten breakfast since morning. Liu Liu instructed Dai Mei to buy some provisions, and they ate a simple meal before continuing their vigil.
A day passed, and night descended. Fengyue City closed its gates and bolted them, the streets were a tinderbox, and not a soul was to be seen.
Even the pleasure quarters, like brothels, were tightly shut, their lights extinguished, and their inhabitants in bed, awaiting the devil’s indulgence in the dark night, praying that the devil would not find them.
A group of people lay in ambush around the Prefectural Yamen, quietly awaiting the silver-blue-eyed seductive man. The moonbeams slanted, casting an intermittent gleam on the dark glazed tiles. Stone lions stood majestically on either side of the Yamen’s gate. The wind rustled the leaves by the high walls.
However, there was no movement for a long time. Liu Liu could not help but yawn. Perhaps he wouldn’t come tonight, or he had gone elsewhere. Had her estimation been wrong?
As she was drifting off, a swift gust of wind flashed through the air, and a seductive figure in red streaked before their eyes, leaping over the high wall into the compound. Liu Liu waved her hand, signaling everyone to follow.
The shadow did not rush to attack the houses but instead leaped about within the Prefectural Yamen. Feng Xie’s internal energy surged. In the darkness, his breathing grew sharp, and a murderous intent arose. His commanding voice rang out.
“This person is a diversion. We must not fall for it. Zhan Yun and Nangong, continue to follow him. Liu Liu and I will guard the other side. I believe his true self will be acting from behind.”
Upon hearing that Feng Xie had arranged for Liu Liu to be with him, Nangong Yue immediately wanted to object. Then, realizing that this was hardly the time for sentimental affections, he kept silent.
Following the shadow ahead shoulder-to-shoulder with Zhan Yun, Feng Xie’s warm, large hand reached out and tightly clasped Liu Liu’s cool, small hand.
Liu Liu was surprised that he would hold her hand again. She wanted to struggle but feared making a sound and alerting Hua Wuyou.
She suddenly felt that this man was quite despicable; even in such a tense and dangerous situation, he was still positioning himself to his advantage. Liu Liu felt inwardly displeased.
Above them, the handsome and formidable man wore a triumphant expression. If he didn’t seize such opportunities, how could he be fit to be a ruler?
Seeing that Liu Liu no longer struggled, Feng Xie naturally pulled her along and leaped towards the other side. In the darkness, two shadows, one tall and one short, flashed by like phantoms, equally stunning and endlessly charming, like jewels in the night.
The night deepened, and a thick, murderous intent permeated the entire Prefectural Yamen. Feng Xie and Liu Liu lay hidden beneath the eaves, motionless, waiting for the arrival of the one they expected.
As expected, a gentle breeze swept through. Feng Xie’s fingertips moved, lightly tapping Liu Liu’s hand. The two of them suddenly leaped into the air, one after the other following the seductive silver man in red. In the darkness, Liu Liu’s clear and refined icy voice rang out.
“Hua Wuyou, just let go. Stop fighting.” At this moment, she no longer knew what to say. Even if he gave up his revenge, could she truly forgive him? The abduction of more than twenty women in one night had caused such great harm to Fengyue City.
The wind surged, and a red cloak billowed high into the air, obscuring his face. Silver threads danced wildly, his robes spun rapidly, forming a red circle of light. Emerging from the circle was a sharp, triumphant laugh.
As that piercing laugh reached Liu Liu’s ears, her heart trembled. She coldly glared at the figure and shouted fiercely.
“Bold one, who are you?”
As soon as she spoke, Feng Xie knew that this person was not Hua Wuyou. Then who was he?
Feng Xie’s suppressed icy aura radiated outwards, forming a powerful cold current. His internal energy condensed, channeled into his palm, and a ball of light formed in his hand, like a gleaming silver sphere.
With a powerful and sharp gesture, he struck towards the fiery red figure. The red-clad figure swiftly dodged, but its power was inferior. It was struck by the silver sphere and sent flying over ten zhang away.
Tumbling several times in mid-air, it fell to the ground. Liu Liu’s soft sword was already drawn, and her figure flashed as she pressed it against the fallen figure, looking at it coldly.
This red-clothed person was actually a woman. The veil covering her face was knocked off, revealing a hideous and terrifying countenance – it was the white-clothed woman who had come to negotiate with Liu Liu that day.
She did not expect to be Hua Wuyou’s substitute. Hua Wuyou had not come to the Prefectural Yamen tonight, which meant he might be making other moves. Liu Liu’s heart trembled slightly.
Could it be that this man intended to attack the entire city’s populace? With this thought, her soft sword had already drawn a trace of blood on the substitute woman’s neck.
“Speak, where is Hua Wuyou? What is he doing tonight?”
Feng Xie flashed to Liu Liu’s side, his pent-up anger sweeping out with a chilling sternness. Without waiting for Liu Liu to act, his fingers curled like hooks and gripped the woman’s neck, his violent command ringing out: “Speak, what are Hua Wuyou’s next moves? Speak, and you shall live.”
“Spare my life.”
The red-clothed woman glanced disdainfully at Feng Xie, as if utterly unimpressed by his words. What was the point of sparing her life? Her life was no longer her own; she was merely a tool for her devilish master.