In Si Jianye's eyes, the mere princess of Lin Country was not worth his concern. Whether he met her or not had no impact on him whatsoever.
He glanced at A'xi and strode forward, his low, hoarse voice slowly emerging, "The princess wishes to see this seat, and this seat naturally cannot be absent."
Watching Si Jianye stride away, A'xi was stunned. "You weren't saying that just now... How could you change your mind so quickly..."
Inside a luxurious bedchamber.
Lin Yuran leaned back lazily. She slightly raised her eyelids, her gaze shifting towards the bedchamber.
This palace was not small, but compared to Lin Ninghe's palace, it was vastly inferior, like comparing heaven and earth.
"This palace is still too small."
Lin Yuran let out a muffled hum, a hint of annoyance growing in her heart.
Just a little more, and she would have become the empress of a new generation, admired by all, holding a position of supreme authority.
But now, she couldn't even keep her personal belongings, having been thrown out of her bedchamber.
"Princess!"
At this moment, Su Qi rushed in from outside the bedchamber, a hint of panic in her eyes.
Lin Yuran, already in a bad mood, felt her displeasure deepen at Su Qi's hurried demeanor. "When did you become so flustered?"
Su Qi quickly blurted out, "The Empress has arrived!"
These simple words successfully made Lin Yuran raise her eyebrows. "What is she here for?"
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside the hall.
Feng Ninghe strode into the bedchamber, her gaze calmly sweeping over the surroundings.
The bedchamber was extremely luxurious, adorned with precious treasures all around.
The moment the woman appeared, Lin Yuran's mood plummeted.
She hadn't even consented, yet Feng Ninghe had walked into her bedchamber.
Lin Yuran unconsciously clenched her sleeves, a hint of ferocity creeping into her eyes.
As her gaze shifted, she saw that the maid accompanying Feng Ninghe was the very person she had sent to invite the King of Hell.
Lin Yuran seemed to recall something, and a wicked smile spread across her red lips. "Xiao Qing, where is the person you were asked to invite?"
Called by name, Xiao Qing's body involuntarily trembled. She cautiously raised her eyes to look at Lin Yuran. "The King of Hell has important matters to attend to and cannot come. The Empress has come on his behalf..."
Lin Yuran, who appeared kind and benevolent in public but was ruthless and cruel in private, spared no one, not even a mere maid.
Her red lips curved into a wicked smile as she strode towards Xiao Qing.
"Xiao Qing, I asked you to invite the King of Hell. I don't see the King of Hell here, so you haven't fulfilled my command."
Lin Yuran gently lifted Xiao Qing's chin, her seductive female voice laced with a hint of ruthlessness. "Tell me, how should I punish you?"
She couldn't lay hands on Feng Ninghe, but dealing with a maid was easy for her, posing no difficulty whatsoever.
She didn't mind teaching the maid a lesson, and incidentally, giving Feng Ninghe a warning...
Xiao Qing was so frightened that tears streamed from her eyes. She quickly knelt, "Please, Princess, have mercy. It is my incompetence that I failed to invite the King of Hell, but the King of Hell is indeed busy and cannot spare the time."
Lin Yuran let out a muffled hum, her fierce eyes looking down at her. "Since it is your incompetence, you deserve to be punished. How about offering your life as atonement for your failure?"
Her seductive female voice sent a chill down one's spine.
Xiao Qing cried out in fear and kowtowed heavily on the ground.
Even though her head was bleeding, she dared not rise.
"Lin Yuran, even if you went yourself, you probably couldn't invite the King of Hell. Do you also intend to atone for your own incompetence?" Feng Ninghe spoke, her cold female voice devoid of any extraneous emotion.
From their interactions these past few days, she had come to understand the King of Hell quite well.
In Si Jianye's eyes, he never cared about insignificant people.
If there was someone he didn't want to see, he would never see them.
Lin Yuran's beautiful face instantly darkened. She met Feng Ninghe's gaze with angry eyes, her cold female voice carrying a strong warning. "What do you mean by that?"
Facing the question, Feng Ninghe's expression remained unchanged. She looked directly at the woman before her. "Don't you understand? Do I need to say it a second time?"
Lin Yuran narrowed her eyes, reached out towards Xiao Qing as if grasping thin air, and a powerful spiritual energy surged towards the maid.
It was as if a large hand was tightly gripping Xiao Qing's neck.
Her face turned red, and even breathing became extremely difficult.
Watching the gasping Xiao Qing, Lin Yuran's lips curved upwards, a hint of madness appearing on her face. "My servant, I can deal with her however I please."
The implication was that even if Feng Ninghe was the Empress of Lin Country, she had no right to interfere with her maid.
Lin Yuran tightened her grip slightly, and the maid's pupils suddenly widened.
Bang!
Feng Ninghe raised her hand.
A surge of spiritual energy struck Lin Yuran.
The powerful spiritual energy forced Lin Yuran's body to stumble backward.
Her hand, which had been gripping Xiao Qing's neck, loosened. Xiao Qing quickly gasped for air, patting her chest heavily.
"Lin Ninghe, what do you think you're doing!"
Lin Yuran shouted sternly, her gloomy eyes filled with a strong warning.
Feng Ninghe raised her eyelids slightly, unconcerned by the warning. Her clear female voice slowly emerged, "Lin Yuran, I am the Empress. The entire Lin Country belongs to me. Do you think I have the right to govern a mere maid?"
This statement effectively choked Lin Yuran into silence.
The Empress of Lin Country ruled over the entire Lin Country.
Even if Lin Yuran was a princess, she had to obey the Empress's commands. Moreover, it was Feng Ninghe who had conferred the title of princess upon her.
Lin Yuran bit her lip, filled with resentment, but ultimately said nothing.
Feng Ninghe turned her gaze to Xiao Qing, her cold female voice slowly falling, "Pack your belongings and leave this palace. You are not suited to be here."
This statement, while seemingly expelling Xiao Qing, was actually offering her a way out.
Since Lin Yuran had failed to kill Xiao Qing, she would undoubtedly harbor resentment.
If Xiao Qing continued to stay in the palace, she would have no chance of survival. It was better to leave.
Xiao Qing looked at Feng Ninghe with immense gratitude and quickly responded, "This servant will leave the palace immediately! Leave Lin Country, go far away!"
If she left Lin Country, Lin Yuran would have no opportunity to harm her.
Hearing this, Lin Yuran's hatred intensified, and her gaze towards Feng Ninghe held a hidden meaning.
This woman had just returned and was already giving her a display of power.
Who knew what further trouble she would cause in the future.
"Lin Ninghe, after a hundred years, your temper has only grown fiercer." Lin Yuran watched her calmly, secretly clenching her delicate fists.
She had disliked Feng Ninghe a hundred years ago, and even now, this woman was as detestable as ever.
Feng Ninghe smiled it away, her expression not changing much. "Thank you for the compliment. My temper is selective; I treat different people with different dispositions."
The implication was that there was no need for her to show kindness to Lin Yuran.
These simple words only fueled Lin Yuran's anger, making her wish she could tear apart the exquisite and hypocritical face before her.