The Empress Who Divorced Her Husband Was So Arrogant has gone missing. The Emperor is distraught, and the Liu family is in a state of despair.
Lady Liu is melancholic day after day. Prime Minister Liu initially wanted to keep it from his wife, but she eventually learned about it from the servants’ hushed conversations. She was heartbroken and berated Prime Minister Liu.
How could they not tell her such a significant matter? The elder couple looked at each other in their mansion, sharing their sorrow. Even the Emperor couldn't find Liu'er's whereabouts, let alone them. They could only worry, speculating who had abducted their daughter and fearing that her identity might be exploited.
The thought of this turned their faces pale. Fortunately, their son was not in the capital. Otherwise, they couldn't imagine the consequences.
However, Prime Minister Liu only enjoyed a few days of peace. A few days later, Liu Ting abandoned his official duties and rushed back to the capital upon hearing the news of his sister's abduction. He sped back to the Liu manor and stared coldly at his parents in the main hall, demanding answers.
"Father, Mother, is this true? Sister disappeared from the palace. What exactly is going on?"
Seeing the situation, Prime Minister Liu slowly nodded and said with a heavy expression, "Yes, Liu'er disappeared from the palace. Don't be anxious."
Prime Minister Liu dared not tell his son that his sister had disappeared after being imprisoned in the dungeon. If he knew, he would surely storm into the palace and fight the Emperor to the death.
This son was good in every way, but he easily lost his reason when it came to his sister. Prime Minister Liu sighed, truly a case of fate. He was happy when they were young because Ting'er always pestered him for a sister. One day, Liu'er suddenly appeared in their home, and he was constantly clinging to her, acting like a little adult.
They were happy then, but who knew his feelings would change as he grew up? Perhaps he had developed such feelings even as a child.
If Liu'er liked him, they wouldn't rule out them being together. However, Liu'er had always treated Ting'er as her own brother and had no idea she wasn't their biological child.
How heartbroken she would be if she knew this. Later, they had no choice but to send her to the palace, as it was also a wish of the late Emperor.
"How can I not be anxious?" Liu Ting thought differently from others. He knew his sister's martial arts were not weak. If someone could abduct her, it meant that person must be highly skilled in martial arts and have ulterior motives. How could he not be anxious?
Thinking of his father sending Liu'er to the palace, Liu Ting's eyes filled with blood, and he stared coldly at Prime Minister Liu, startling his father. What kind of look was this, staring at him like an enemy?
"Ting'er, what are you doing?"
"If something happens to my sister, Father, shouldn't you feel guilty? If you hadn't sent my sister to the palace, would all these things have happened? Couldn't our Liu mansion afford to support her even if she never married? Why did you have to send her to the palace to be bullied by the Emperor? Are you happy with that? You even had me transferred out of the capital. If my sister comes back, don't expect me to leave the capital again, unless I die."
Liu Ting coldly dropped this sentence and left the main hall with a somber face.
Upon hearing her son's words, Lady Liu's face turned ashen. She stood up and hurried after him, calling out, "Ting'er, Ting'er, don't speak nonsense. Your sister will be fine."
Watching the tall figure walk away into the distance, Lady Liu's body swayed precariously. Prime Minister Liu quickly stepped forward to support her. Lady Liu flung his hand away and said fiercely.
"Is this what you want, my lord? You schemed against others your whole life, and in the end, you schemed against your own children. If you hadn't sent Liu'er to the palace, if you had told Liu'er the truth, even if no one married her, what if we married her to Ting'er? Wouldn't our family be happier if we loved each other?"
Lady Liu's tears streamed down her face as she cried uncontrollably in the center of the hall. Si'er had left home, Liu'er was missing, and her son was heartbroken. Wasn't all this the Lord's fault?
Liu Ting remained in his courtyard, growing more enraged and indignant with every thought. He went into his room, changed into a black night-traveling suit, and set off from the Liu manor, flying towards the imperial palace.
He familiarized himself and went directly into the Emperor's study. Outside the study door, Xiao Wanzi and a few young eunuchs were dozing against the pillars of the corridor. When Liu Ting landed, Xiao Wanzi woke up.
Because he knew martial arts, and Liu Ting hadn't hidden it from him.
"I want to see the Emperor."
"This? The Emperor said he wouldn't see anyone," Xiao Wanzi stammered. Lord Liu's trespassing into the palace must be about the Empress. The Emperor was already vexed.
If they fought again like last time, he didn't know how the Emperor would punish Lord Liu. Therefore, Xiao Wanzi spoke politely.
Liu Ting's face turned cold, his lips curled in a sneer. He taunted Xiao Wanzi, "A mere servant can now make decisions on behalf of the master? Get out of my way, and don't provoke me into hitting you."
Xiao Wanzi took a startled step back. This Lord Liu had dared to hit the Emperor last time, let alone him, a mere servant. It was better to avoid provoking him. However, this was indeed the Emperor's order.
The Emperor had entered the study from dusk and hadn't come out, leaving word that no one was to disturb him. He didn't know what he was doing inside.
"Is this truly the Emperor's intention?"
"No one's intention is acceptable!" Liu Ting stepped forward and kicked towards Xiao Wanzi. Xiao Wanzi quickly dodged. The young eunuchs at the door all woke up and asked one after another, "What's wrong? What's wrong?"
Before they could react, Liu Ting had already entered the study. Xiao Wanzi's expression turned grim and he followed him into the study, deciding to await the Emperor's punishment.
Inside the study, the night-blooming pearls in the four corners cast a silvery-white glow, illuminating the small study as brightly as day. The air was filled with the subtle fragrance of books. At the desk, the Emperor was not attending to memorials but was resting with his eyes closed, emanating a cold aura as if waiting for someone.
Upon hearing the sound at the door, he raised his eyes displeasedly and saw Liu Ting, dressed in night-traveling attire and with a face ashen, entering. Behind him was Xiao Wanzi, with a pale face. Feng Xie raised his phoenix-like eyebrows and waved his hand, "Go down."
Upon hearing the Emperor's words, Xiao Wanzi finally breathed a sigh of relief, secretly thinking that the Emperor was indeed wise. However, he then heard the Emperor say, "Go and receive twenty planks."
His legs immediately trembled. What was all this? Was he being wronged? This damned Lord Liu was the cause of it all. With tearful eyes, he lowered his head. "Yes, Your Majesty," he said and walked out to receive his punishment.
After Xiao Wanzi left, Feng Xie opened his eyes and gazed at the man before him. Frankly, he was bewildered. Why didn't Liu'er resemble this cousin or his elder cousin? If she had looked as handsome as the Liu family, perhaps she wouldn't have had to suffer so much.
Feng Xie felt that this was his own inherent flaw. It had nothing to do with Liu'er's beauty; it was simply that he had always favored beautiful things, unaware that sometimes, beautiful things possessed extremely ugly interiors.
Only those objects that radiated light from the inside out were truly beautiful. It was a pity that he only realized this now. Feng Xie was slightly annoyed; this was an enlightenment he had gained from Liu Liu.
"Why are you here again?" he asked, his voice cold and deep, his eyes flashing with darkness, his handsome face revealing an ethereal quality, and a cold smile on his lips.
If he wasn't afraid that Liu'er would be sad when she returned, he would have sent him to prison to reflect. Trespassing into the study and openly blaming him?
"How did Liu'er go missing? Why are you, an Emperor, taking no action?" Liu Ting deeply questioned. This man should have posted wanted posters and offered rewards for clues to speed up the search. But he saw no movement from him, just him acting as if nothing had happened.
Feng Xie smiled playfully. It seemed his imperial cousin-in-law loved his sister too much and had let his anger cloud his judgment. Could such matters be publicized? That would put the Empress in even greater danger.
How many people were watching everything in the palace from the shadows? And yet, the news that the Empress had left the palace was spread. Wouldn't those people direct all their attention to Liu'er? Thinking of this man's extreme sister complex, Feng Xie's expression darkened, his sharp, dark eyes flashing with light.