Shi Mei couldn't wait any longer and flew back to Xiangwu Courtyard to report to Hai Ling: "Miss, something terrible has happened! The person who came is... is actually?"
Hailing looked at Shimei strangely. Seeing that Shimei's face was pale and her words were hesitant, it was clear that the person who came was someone they did not want to see. Who was it? Recalling what the housekeeper had said, "distinguished guest," who was very domineering in his every move, and now seeing Shimei's expression, Hailing's heart sank. She slowly spoke.
"Could it be Feng Zixiao?"
Shi Mei nodded. That's right, the person who came was none other than Emperor Feng Zixiao of the Great Zhou Dynasty. She didn't expect Feng Zixiao to come here. He came directly to the Ji residence to visit, which clearly shows that he knows and is certain that she is the former Jiang Hailing. So who leaked her information?
"It must be Princess Feng Yao of Zhaoyang."
Shi Mei exclaimed with certainty, "Didn't the Princess Consort of Zhaoyang hate her master before? But recently she has been very well-behaved. Obviously, she sent someone to inform Feng Zixiao at full speed, and Feng Zixiao rushed over without delay."
Hai Ling didn't refute Shi Mei's words, and knew without a doubt that it was Feng Yao who sent someone to inform Feng Zixiao.
She was frightened at first, but after the shock subsided, she calmed down. So what if it was Feng Zixiao? Who dares to say that she is the Empress of the Great Zhou now? Besides, she doesn't even want to see that man, let alone anything else. Thinking this way, she felt relieved and waved her hand to instruct the steward.
"Just say I'm not feeling well and won't see any guests."
"Yes," the steward acknowledged the order and went to the front to report.
In Xiangwu Courtyard, the two maids, Shimei and Shilan, looked unwell and couldn't relax for a moment.
Unexpectedly, the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty has come to Bei Lu. She must report this to her master immediately. Although the Great Zhou and Bei Lu have formed a marriage alliance, they are still two different countries. She wonders if Feng Zixiao came here simply to see the young lady, or if he has some other plans.
"Miss, I'm going to the palace to inform the Emperor that the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty has come to Beilu."
"Okay, sure."
This time, Hai Ling didn't stop her. Compared to Ye Lingfeng, she hated Feng Zixiao even more. This man actually dared to come to the Ji residence to see her. She wondered what he wanted to do.
Shi Mei instructed Shi Lan and Fu Yue to take care of her mistress before heading to the palace. Since she had been to the palace once before, she still remembered it and entered smoothly.
The Emperor was handling state affairs in his study. Shi Zhu and Shi Ju, dressed in palace guard uniforms, were standing guard outside the door, along with several eunuchs, all carefully attending to him.
When Shizhu saw Shimei coming over, he knew that she must have something to report to the Emperor, so he went in first to report, and soon came out and took Shimei in with him.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty has actually arrived in Beilu."
"Feng Zixiao?"
Ye Lingfeng involuntarily frowned, his eyes dark and gloomy, a layer of coldness covering his handsome features as he stared at Shi Mei with an extremely sinister gaze. Shi Mei quickly nodded: "Yes, he came to the Ji residence to visit Miss today, but Miss did not see him."
After Shi Mei finished speaking, Ye Lingfeng's eyes turned cold and ruthless, as dark as a bottomless lake full of hidden reefs.
What does this mean? Feng Zixiao knows that Ling'er is Empress Jiang Hailing of the Great Zhou Dynasty. So who leaked this information? Obviously, it must be Princess Feng Yao of Zhaoyang.
"You must protect her well, and never let Feng Zixiao hurt her."
"Yes, I understand."
"Go," Ye Lingfeng waved his hand, and Hai Ling withdrew. After Hai Ling left, Ye Lingfeng called Shi Zhu in and ordered him to secretly send a few people into the Ji residence to protect Hai Ling. Shi Zhu accepted the order and went to do the job.
However, inside the study, the usually aloof, domineering, and profound man's eyes were deep and cold, and his heart was no longer at peace because of Shi Mei's arrival.
It seems he needs to marry her as soon as possible, then Feng Zixiao will have no chance, and no one else will have a chance either.
Otherwise, there will always be people eyeing her. She's not the same as before, which makes him uneasy.
But he couldn't spare the time to protect her. He had just ascended the throne and had many things to do. As the emperor, he had to fulfill his duties.
Shi Mei returned to Xiangwu Courtyard in the Ji residence, and Hai Ling did not ask her about her situation after entering the palace, nor did she say anything.
That night, the general's mansion was quiet, and the lamplight under the eaves cast a soft glow over the entire residence.
In Xiangwu Courtyard, the old woman on night watch diligently kept watch, while the others went to rest.
In Hai Ling's bedroom, a lamp was lit, and the room seemed to be draped in a light gauze. A blue gauze curtain hung down on the bed, and a beautiful woman, as lovely as jade, was sleeping soundly. Beside her bedside lay a small lion with translucent yellow fur, its eyes wide open like copper bells, its ears perked up, watching for any movement around it.
Suddenly, a presence approached from the darkness. Little Lion Ball Ball sensed it immediately, and with a swift movement, let out a low growl, waking the others sleeping in the room at the same time.
The little lion's senses are dozens of times more acute than those of an ordinary person; if it makes a move, it means someone is coming.
Hai Ling, Shi Mei, and Shi Lan focused their attention and sensed that someone was indeed coming, and there was more than one person. Although there was no murderous aura, they dared not be careless.
The three people in the room exchanged glances. Hai Ling waved her hand and instructed Shi Mei and Shi Lan to guard the window and the door, respectively, while she and Xiao Shi stayed on the bed.
The newcomers were clearly unaware that the people inside had discovered them, so they remained calmly outside the window. Then someone opened the window, and one person slipped inside.
Shi Lan, who was guarding the window, wouldn't let him in. She flashed forward and thrust out her sword.
Upon seeing that someone had noticed him, the man stepped back and did not make a move. He simply waved his hand, and dozens of men in black leaped out from behind him to confront Shi Lan. Shi Lan was immediately put in danger, and Shi Mei also flew into the fray.
The person who had entered earlier leaped in again, and Hailing on the bed immediately took out the silver hairpin from beside her pillow and threw it, which flew straight at the candlestick on the table, extinguishing the candle flame.
The room was pitch black. Although everyone there was a martial artist, they were all able to see, but if you looked closely, the images were blurry.
Hai Ling extinguished the candle because she saw that the person who came was none other than Feng Zixiao, the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty whom she had refused to meet during the day. She never dreamed that Feng Zixiao, the emperor of a country, would actually break into the general's mansion at night.
She extinguished the candle not because she was afraid of Feng Zixiao, but because she hated seeing this man. Seeing him reminded her of how the royal family had used her as a pawn, and how her mother had died in this game.
"Who is so bold as to dare to break into the Ji residence at night?"
Hai Ling coldly dismissed Feng Zixiao, refusing to acknowledge him at all.
Inside the room, Feng Zixiao narrowed his long phoenix eyes, and a sharp light shot out from his dangerous and deep black eyes. This woman extinguished the candle with a single move, showing that she was agile. In the darkness, he could vaguely see that she was beautiful and graceful, with a cold and pure temperament. Was she really his empress?
Feng Zixiao wasn't sure because there were no candles in the room, so he couldn't see very clearly.
However, since Feng Yao said she was, this woman must be. Thinking of this, Feng Zixiao smiled instead of getting angry, and lazily opened his mouth.