Shi Mei went to great lengths to slander Shao Yi for the sake of her master.
Hai Ling chuckled and said, "Don't the people of Bei Lu also like to eat meat? I'm used to it too."
"This is different. The people of Beilu are accustomed to eating meat, mostly from their own livestock, mainly mutton and beef. Moreover, many of their customs are similar to those of the Great Zhou Dynasty. However, Shaoyi is completely different from the Great Zhou."
Shi Mei was right about this. Bei Lu was closer to the Great Zhou Dynasty, so there were many similarities in their food. However, Shao Yi was completely different from the Great Zhou.
But what does that have to do with her? She's not really going to marry Mu Ye.
She had no feelings for Mu Ye, nor had she ever thought about going to Shao Yi, so Shi Mei was worried. However, seeing Shi Mei's worried expression for Ye Lingfeng, Hai Ling was displeased, so she spoke expressionlessly.
"Who knows, I might also like to eat tiger meat, lion meat, or even leopard meat."
After Hailing finished speaking, she walked out. Shimei behind her was stunned. Could it be that Miss likes Muye and wants to marry him? No way.
Shi Mei quickly followed, fearing that her mistress might really marry Mu Ye.
In the main hall, Makino sat with two of his men, looking around the living room. Hearing footsteps outside the door, he turned to look.
A dazzling light flashed in her deep, dark eyes. She was just as outstanding and captivating as she was when she was a child.
But he missed her in the beginning. Mu Ye's heart ached and he blamed himself. She had suffered so much in the Great Zhou Dynasty. If he had recognized her earlier, perhaps everything would have been different. Now he had the ability to protect her, and after marrying her, he would never take any other woman as a concubine. He would only protect her and not let anyone bully her.
"Sea pine".
Hai Ling smiled and nodded. She maintained the proper politeness towards Mu Ye. As she walked to a spot on one side of the main hall, she didn't forget that Mu Ye was now the new ruler of Shao Yi. Although he might not care in front of her, she would still pay attention to the proper etiquette.
Fu Yue served tea and waited to the side.
Muye waved his hand, signaling his men to leave. Seeing that he seemed to want to speak with her alone, Hailing also instructed Shimei and the others behind her to leave.
Upon hearing this, Shi Mei's face fell. She was truly afraid that Mu Ye would persuade her mistress to marry into Shao Yi, in which case the master would surely go mad, and no one could predict what might happen.
However, since the young lady had given the order, she dared not disobey. With a wave of her hand, Shi Mei dismissed all the servants in the main hall.
Only Hailin and Muye were in the hall.
"Does Emperor Wu want to see me because he has something to discuss with me?"
Hailin picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then slowly asked.
Makino's eyes darkened as he listened to her unfamiliar yet polite question, feeling an indescribable discomfort in his heart.
"Hailin, marry me. I will give you everything and protect you for life. I will not allow anyone to bully you or treat you badly."
Makino spoke in a deep voice, uttering his words slowly and deliberately.
It wasn't that he wouldn't let go, but he was afraid that others would hurt her again. He had hurt her before, and Feng Zixiao had taken advantage of her completely. There were huge hidden dangers in Beilu right now, and he was really afraid that she would be used and hurt again. So he just wanted to keep her by his side and not let anyone hurt her again.
"Makino."
Hai Ling was touched that Mu Ye would say such a thing so directly. Looking at him, she slowly smiled, like a beautiful snow lotus in bloom, without any impurities, the ultimate purity.
"From now on, no one can hurt me unless I want to."
It was a very simple sentence, yet it conveyed a resilient and irresistible power.
Yes, from then on, no one could hurt her unless she wanted to.
"Don't forget, you are now a daughter of the Ji family. If Ye Lingfeng invites you into the palace, can you disobey the imperial decree? Bei Lu is not stable yet. If you stay here, you will definitely get involved in trouble. Why don't you come with me and leave here to return to Shaoyi?"
Mu Ye spoke of the current situation in Bei Lu, hoping that Hai Ling could see clearly that she couldn't just marry whenever she wanted or not. Ye Lingfeng was the emperor of a country, and if he forced her to marry, she might not refuse. Moreover, there was the Ji family involved, and she probably wouldn't be able to bear seeing the Ji family suffer from the royal family's treatment because of her.
“Muye, thank you for thinking of me so much, but I’ve made up my mind. I’ll stay here and not go anywhere else. As for whether I’ll get married or not, that will depend on whether there’s anyone I can marry.”
That last sentence was resolute; it meant she wasn't against marriage, but rather wanted to see if there was anyone worthy of her marriage, rather than avoiding it altogether.
Besides, she has no feelings for Mu Ye at all. How could she marry him and go to Shao Yi with him? If that were to happen, she would probably never be happy for the rest of her life. Most importantly, Ye Lingfeng would never allow Mu Ye to take her away. If she really left with Mu Ye, a war would probably break out immediately.
"You're still blaming me."
Makino's dark eyes held deep self-reproach, and his resolute features were filled with regret and chilling pain. He had broken her heart.
Hailin was surprised that Muye was blaming himself, and quickly shook her head: "Muye, don't blame yourself, what's past is past."
However, deep down she thought that if she had been in that situation back then, and if Mu Ye had treated her sincerely, who could say that she wouldn't have fallen for him? So, since they missed each other at the beginning, it would have been all in vain to talk about it later.
Silence fell over the hall. Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, and a woman named Shi Mei burst in, her face filled with anxiety.
"What's wrong?"
Hailing asked curiously, "Shimei rarely loses her color, so what must have happened to make her like this?"
"Miss, a large crowd has gathered outside the General's Mansion, blocking the gate. They're saying you're still... are you still..."
Shi Mei had no answer. Hai Ling's face darkened, and she asked in a cold voice, "What is it?"
"They say the young lady is a wicked woman who brings ruin to the country, and they want the general to hand her over and drive her out of Beilu, otherwise they won't leave."
"Am I a vixen who brought ruin to the country?"
Honestly, it was ridiculous. Hai Ling couldn't help but smile. She never expected that she would be labeled with such a huge accusation one day: a vixen who brought ruin to the country. What a terrible crime! It was enough to warrant death. She really didn't know what she had done to make the people of Bei Lu talk about her like this. Perhaps it was someone with ulterior motives.
A dark glint flashed in Hailin's eyes, and a chilling smile appeared on her lips, as cold as water.
She already had a plan in mind. In the main hall, she said she would give three tests, and now she was quite interested in how the three men who wanted to marry her would react to her current predicament.
As soon as the thought arose, Hailin spoke.