Firmament Sword

The Emperor’s expression flickered between light and shadow as Lianyi spoke.

After a long silence, he sighed heavily and said in a low voice, ”Even if you wanted to vent your anger for your young master... do you have any evidence proving that the Wei Family was behind the attack on him?”

Lianyi raised her head, not bothering to wipe the tear stains from her face. She said coolly, ”Does Your Majesty truly believe evidence is that important? The Wei Family was attacked. If I don’t admit to it, who would dare say I was the one who did it?

The reason I came to confess to Your Majesty is that I did not wish to deceive you. The Wei Family has gone too far. Without evidence, Your Majesty naturally cannot punish them. But if that happens, all the Military Generals will inevitably grow resentful. They risk their lives on the front lines, yet their families at home cannot be protected...”

”So, by your logic... you did this to help me?” Huangfu Haoran stared at the kneeling Lianyi, his eyes narrowed slightly, his thoughts unreadable.

”That... is for Your Majesty to judge. I dare not speculate...” Lianyi said softly.

”Enough. You... may leave for now. Remember, not another soul is to know of this! That includes your master... I will handle the rest,” the Emperor finally said after a long hesitation.

’Inwardly, however, he felt a great dissatisfaction with the Xu Family. Even though I personally named Lianyi the Princess of Vulture, her audacity is simply too much!’

’She actually dared to mobilize the Hidden Dragon to do something like this for her!’

’And what’s more, that group, the Hidden Dragon, actually listened to her... That was the darkest cloud hanging over my heart!’

’The Xu Family has been loyal for generations, that much is true. But what emperor would be willing to have such a terrifyingly powerful force, one that barely listens to his own commands, existing right beside him?’

’How can one allow another to snore so loudly beside one’s own bed?’

”The Xu Family’s glory and favor have reached their peak... I will endure you for a while longer!” After dismissing Lianyi, Huangfu Haoran muttered to himself alone in the Secret Pavilion, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Lianyi walked out of the Imperial Palace through a back gate. Looking up at the bright, sunny sky, she whispered, ”Young Master, Lianyi has finally gotten revenge for you! I understand what the Emperor is thinking, but this time, I will definitely be giving him a grand gift. With the Madam away, and the Master and Eldest Young Master on the front lines, I will manage our Xu Family well. I won’t allow anyone to harm it!”

Leaving aside how the Emperor went to appease Wei Feng, the first thing Lianyi did upon returning home was to go see Xu Luo.

Xu Luo’s injuries had stabilized. Although he still couldn’t move, he only needed some time to recuperate.

Tears streamed down Lianyi’s face as she looked at the pale Xu Luo with heartache. She reached out and gently caressed his face. ”I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I failed to protect you, Young Master.”

”Lianyi, what are you saying? This has nothing to do with you. But you... what have you been doing since last night? It seems like you’ve thrown the entire Imperial Capital into chaos...”

Xu Luo had only heard snippets from a few servants, but he understood that Lianyi had nearly lost her mind seeking revenge for him.

”It’s nothing. I just went to the Imperial Palace and saw His Majesty. I told him you were attacked and on the verge of death. Hmph, if you weren’t alright, and if it weren’t for *that* other matter, do you really think I would have let the Wei Family off so easily?” Lianyi’s calm voice was filled with boundless killing intent.

”His Majesty didn’t blame you?” Xu Luo asked, frowning slightly.

”He heard later that your injuries were severe, so he didn’t blame me for anything. But I know this incident will definitely make the Emperor dissatisfied with the Xu Family. Our family is showered with glory and favor right now... isn’t that just to set us up for a fall? At times like this, we can’t afford to be too low-key...”

As Lianyi spoke, a strange smile appeared on her face. She said faintly, ”Otherwise, I’m afraid the Emperor would be even more worried. If I’m not mistaken, my title of Commandery Princess and your title of Marquis... might be gone very soon.”

Xu Luo shook his head with a wry smile. He naturally understood Lianyi’s meaning. ”Commandery Princess or Marquis, it’s not like we begged him for these titles. It’s fine if they’re gone; it’ll stop people from gossiping. If the Emperor didn’t do anything at all, that’s when we would really need to worry.”

Then, Xu Luo asked, ”By the way, how is the investigation into that other matter going?”

At this, Lianyi’s expression turned serious. She said softly, ”Not long after that incident back then, the scout who discovered that piece of intelligence fell off his horse, ’accidentally’ broke his neck, and died on the spot.”

”A scout fell off his horse and broke his neck?”

Xu Luo’s mouth twitched violently a couple of times before he said with a sarcastic look, ”Those who become scouts are basically the top elites of the army, and they have to be all-rounders. For a soldier like that to fall off his horse and break his neck... It seems this incident had nothing to do with that scout after all.”

Lianyi nodded. ”The Master was also investigating this back then. Perhaps he knows more than we do. It’s just a pity there was never any evidence. I’m afraid that deep down, the Master feels even more helpless about it than we do.”

”So that’s why you dared to be so audacious this time, using my attack as an opportunity to throw the entire Wei Family into an uproar?” Xu Luo said with a smile.

Lianyi said coolly, ”We can’t just let them get away with it!”

”Are you that certain the Wei Family was behind my attack?” Xu Luo asked, a warmth spreading through his heart as he looked at her.

”Of course I’m not certain. But do I need evidence?” Lianyi said nonchalantly. ”I think they did it, so they did it.”

”Alright... All hail the mighty Princess of Vulture!” Xu Luo teased with a laugh.

Lianyi gave a slight smile and shook her head. ”Maybe not for much longer. Also, I managed to get some more samples of Prime Minister Wei’s handwriting. Unfortunately, they don’t match the writing on that secret order, and there are no similarities. I suppose even if Prime Minister Wei did write it, he wouldn’t leave behind any loose ends for us.”

Xu Luo sighed softly. ”Let’s put this matter aside and plan for the long term.”

Lianyi only stayed for a short while before leaving in a hurry. The Imperial Capital was currently a storm of shifting winds. To deal with the various changes that might occur, the entire Xu Family needed her to hold down the fort, so she was extremely busy.

Xu Luo dismissed the Maid and lay quietly on the bed alone. After a long while, he said faintly, ”Didn’t you want to kill me? Why did you save me?”

A cold snort came from the rafters. ”You think Master Li actually wanted to save you? I just didn’t want you to die so easily! Is Master Li’s stuff so easy to take? You’re a real bastard! AAAAAHHHHH!”

”I say, Master Li, why are you always going ’AAAAAHHHH’? Don’t you get tired?” Xu Luo was getting a massive headache from the big cat’s ’AAAAAHHHHs’.

”I once heard people talking. The man went ’AAAAAHHH,’ and the woman went ’AAAAAHHH’... They said you only go ’AAAAAHHHH’ when you’re feeling your best... So I learned it. What, is there a problem?” Master Li retorted.

”When was this?” Xu Luo’s face darkened.

”That one time, in a treehouse, a man and a woman were butt-naked and both going ’AAAAAHHHH’... So I learned to go ’AAAAAHHHH’... It sounds very pleasurable...”

Xu Luo looked up at the ceiling, utterly speechless.

”Cat got your tongue? Hmph!” Master Li didn’t ’AAAAAHHHH’ this time, his voice full of smug satisfaction.

”Alright, Master Li, I think we should have a proper talk,” Xu Luo said, taking a deep breath as he lay on the bed.

”Why should Master Li talk to you? You stole Master Li’s Seven-Colored Light! Master Li is angry! Furious! Enraged! Uncontrollably so! AAAAAHHHHH! Why should Master Li talk to you? Huh? AAAAAHHHH!”

Xu Luo rolled his eyes. He looked at the Heaven-Swallowing Fox, which had shrunk to the size of a normal cat and was squatting on his rafters, once again starting its headache-inducing ’AAAAAHHHHing’. He said calmly, ”Because I have Star Power in my body. Comparatively speaking, the allure of Star Power to High-tier Spirit Beasts like you is probably greater than that of the Seven-Colored Light, isn’t it?”

”Pah! Master Li doesn’t care! Master Li is a magnificent Tier Nine Spirit Beast! How could I possibly negotiate terms with a puny human like you?” the Heaven-Swallowing Fox sneered, its feline face full of disdain.

”Then why did you save me? And after saving me, why are you so shamelessly hiding in my home and refusing to leave?” Xu Luo became more and more certain that the reason this Heaven-Swallowing Fox hadn’t killed him was because of the Star Power in his body!

”Master Li stays wherever Master Li wants! What can you do about it? Human, are you a match for Master Li? Hmph hmph hmph, as if a puny human like you could possibly fathom Master Li’s thoughts!”

The Heaven-Swallowing Fox leaped down from the rafters, walked up to Xu Luo’s head, and extended a forepaw to tap him on the forehead.

”You, on the other hand, are a pathetically weak human. Master Li could take your life in the blink of an eye. Do you believe me?”

Xu Luo said calmly, ”If I die, the Star Power will be gone.”

”AAAAAHHHHHH! You bastard! I already said Master Li doesn’t care about your Star Power! How could a noble, important figure like Master Li care about something from a puny human? Bastard! Bastard! BASTARD! AAAAAHHHHH!” The great Master Li was going berserk again.

”Let’s talk calmly. I can let you stay by my side and, at appropriate times, release a little Star Power for you to absorb. But you... can’t just enjoy the benefits for free without paying any price. So...”

”So my ass! AAAAAHHHH! If your Master Li wants Star Power, I’ll just take you as a pet!”

The great Master Li was enraged. It leaped onto Xu Luo’s face, raised a paw, and unsheathed its incomparably sharp claws. It sneered, ”You weak little human, what right do you have to negotiate terms with Master Li?”

”Then kill me,” Xu Luo said, closing his eyes.

”Bastard! AAAAAHHHHH! Bastard, bastard, bastard! Dammit! You human, how can you be so shameless!” Master Li leaped off Xu Luo’s face and began pacing around the room agitatedly.

Xu Luo lay on the bed without a word.

Finally, after the great Master Li had vented its frustration, it jumped back onto the bed and said listlessly, ”Fine, Master Li admits it. Master Li does indeed prefer the Star Power. That’s why I saved your life. However, don’t you think for a second that Master Li is begging you. Master Li is a Tier Nine Spirit Beast and has his own dignity and pride!”

”Yes, yes, I know. You, Master Li, are a Tier Nine Spirit Beast, a Tier Nine Spirit Beast with dignity and pride. But, there are a few things I have to say up front.” Xu Luo immediately opened his eyes and looked at the Heaven-Swallowing Fox.

”What things? Master Li will deign to listen,” the great Master Li said, plunking itself down beside Xu Luo’s head and blinking its cat eyes.