Liu Liu walked towards Jin Shaoyuan step by step, gazing at him coldly. If looks could kill, Jin Shaoyuan would surely have been dead many times over by now. She was like a leopard dripping with venom, eager to devour him whole.
"Your Jin family is nothing but a bunch of killers, murderers. Did your sister tip you off, and you've come for revenge? That's why you killed my pigeon, isn't it? Jin Shaoyuan, you'd better watch yourselves. I won't let this go. I will not let this go."
Her last sentence was piercingly sharp. Jin Shaoyuan was so stunned by her ferocious demeanor that he couldn't speak for a long time. Seeing her fierceness, he knew that if he uttered another word, she would fight him to the death.
Feng Xie's pupils darkened. He did not forget his mission because of Liu Liu's wild accusations. With a somber expression, he asked Liu Liu, "What is going on here? As the ruler of the harem, you would use a pigeon to communicate privately with the outside world?"
Feng Xie's words, instead of calming her, only ignited her. She turned her head to face Feng Xie and suddenly laughed, a single tear rolling down her cheek as she looked at him coldly.
"Feng Xie, this is my pigeon. Yes, it's a pigeon I asked Dai Mei to help me raise. Is that also a mistake? You are simply a cold-blooded, heartless creature. Someone like you will only remain in your self-imposed isolation, living and dying in your lofty honor. I know you've always disliked me being your Empress.
Similarly, I do not like you as my husband. If I could, I would find any other man, and that person would never be you. Do you understand? Do you think only you are wronged? I am also deeply wronged. What if I am ugly?
I consider myself far more noble than those so-called femme fatales. You want to punish me, don't you?
Kill me, or depose me. Haven't I suggested that to you long ago? Why must you resort to these pointless tricks? Does a dignified Emperor only resort to such despicable and shameless methods? I truly pity your subjects."
After Liu Liu finished her tirade, she carefully picked up her pigeon and left the study without looking back, ignoring the green-tinged face behind her.
Feng Xie was utterly stunned. Waves of fury washed over him, and with a sweep of his hand, he overturned all the memorials on the desk.
Jin Shaoyuan, standing nearby, dared not move. Only when the Emperor calmed down did he shift his position. Feng Xie, breathing heavily with a livid face, said in a deep voice, "Speak, who is this Dai Mei?"
"She used to be a madam in a brothel, a subordinate of Qi Ye. That woman is friends with the Empress. I've mentioned this to Your Majesty before," Jin Shaoyuan reminded the Emperor. Seeing the Emperor raise his eyebrows and the sparks in his pupils constantly flickering, he quickly lowered his head. Feng Xie's eyes, deep as a well and unfathomable, opened with a cold and haughty tone.
"Speak, did your sister truly send you a message this time, and that's why you acted to protect her?"
Jin Shaoyuan remained silent, but the expression on his face revealed his thoughts. Feng Xie gritted his teeth and gasped. He never expected that within his own harem, one person was more cunning than the next. His face flickered as he spoke.
"Jin Shaoyuan, this is the first and last time. If I ever find out your sister is scheming in the palace again, I will immediately have her executed and sever all ties with your Jin family."
Jin Shaoyuan was greatly alarmed, his handsome face turning ashen. He quickly knelt down, "This humble servant thanks Your Majesty. Such a thing will never happen again."
"Get out!" Feng Xie roared. He couldn't believe that his childhood companion had actually deceived him. Thinking of Liu Liu's resolute eyes and her heartbroken accusations, his heart filled with rage, and he wished he could depose the man before him immediately.
If it weren't for the fact that they had grown up together, he would never have spared him. However, he would have to be cautious from now on, as this man had harbored ill intentions and would seek benefits for his family.
Jin Shaoyuan looked at the Emperor's inscrutable eyes on his throne and knew that the Emperor no longer trusted him. He understood the Emperor as well as the Emperor understood him, and for that, he felt deep regret.
But the mistake had been made, and there was no way to change it. Besides kowtowing and thanking him, he had no power to alter anything. He slowly rose and retreated.
In the study, Feng Xie leaned back on the couch, gasping for breath. He imagined Liu Liu's hateful expression and the words she had hurled at him, which had struck a deep blow to his heart. Would he truly have to spend his entire life in loneliness?
His heart felt a sense of desolation. Would he have to guard this empire forever, treating those around him like thieves? Seeing that the fragile harmony they had just established had been shattered by him once again, he suddenly felt a pang of regret.
However, the pride of an Emperor prevented him from admitting his mistake to her. But he could make amends for her. As Feng Xie thought of this, he immediately perked up and called out loudly.
"Xiao Wanzi."
"This servant is here," Xiao Wanzi rushed in. Seeing the mess all over the room, the Emperor, casting aside his previous rage, with a hint of excitement, parted his lips and ordered him, "Immediately prepare two cages of pigeons and send them to Weiyang Palace. Let the Empress choose. Make sure to find pigeons that are like the Empress's."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Xiao Wanzi received the order and went out, instructing other eunuchs to enter and tidy up the study.
He himself went to prepare the pigeons. Xiao Wanzi couldn't help but sigh. Why did the Emperor have to go through so much trouble? If he had known this would happen, it would have been better to pretend not to know anything and blame Lord Jin, saving all this hassle.
When the pigeons were delivered to Weiyang Palace, Liu Liu was still mourning for Bai. Upon hearing that the Emperor had ordered two cages of pigeons to be sent, her expression became extremely displeased, and her eyes coldly ordered Xiao Nianzi, "Send those pigeons back. This Palace does not lack them."
As soon as Liu Liu's words fell, a large group of people on the dais knelt down in unison. Even the eunuch Xiao Wanzi knelt among them, all pleading with Liu Liu.
"Empress, please do not send these pigeons back. Think about how sad the Empress is for the death of one pigeon. If so many pigeons are sent back, the Emperor will surely order all of them killed. Please, Empress, do not send them back."
Liu Liu looked coldly at the palace maids and eunuchs kneeling below. She scoffed inwardly. She felt pity for one pigeon because she had raised it. What did these pigeons have to do with her?
However, upon hearing the cooing sounds from outside the hall and thinking of those adorable little creatures, it would indeed be cruel if they were killed. She could only raise her head and instruct Cui'er.
"Release them all."
"Yes, Your Highness," everyone on the dais became happy, standing up and walking out to release the pigeons.
Liu Liu also slowly descended from her throne and walked out of the hall. In front of the wide Weiyang Palace gate, two cages were opened, and dozens of pigeons suddenly soared into the blue sky, looking incredibly charming.
They occasionally cooed and flew away in circles. In the blink of an eye, except for a few floating clouds, there was nothing else in the sky. Liu Liu's mood finally improved a little, and she turned back into the hall.
Xiao Wanzi breathed a sigh of relief and returned to the study to report to the Emperor. Feng Xie was waiting in the study, his mind preoccupied with how angry Liu Liu would be. Her decisive words earlier had shocked him. He suddenly felt a yearning.
He wished he could have a woman he deeply loved by his side. So far, he had never liked anyone, but he felt a connection with that ugly Empress, and therefore, he hoped they could coexist peacefully.
Today's incident was an accident. He would never easily lose his temper again in the future. He must first clarify the entire sequence of events before passing judgment, instead of being so furious like today. He remembered her words from last time.
As an Emperor, so many people around him were trying to guess his thoughts, so he could not harm them because of his own feelings. Otherwise, he would truly be no different from an executioner.