Without waiting for Xuan Yi’s warning, Ji Jin Mo halted his steps.
"Look up!"
His voice, crisp and low, seemed to carry the cool evening dew, an icy chill pressing down from above.
In that instant, Yu Nan Shi Ying’s eyes beheld a vision of Asura’s hell, painted with bloodied bones and mired in mud.
The palpable killing intent and overbearing aura, even without lifting her head, allowed Nan Shi Ying to surmise the identity of the man before her – the Regent of Lin Yuan Kingdom, Ji Jin Mo, a man who held military power and dominated the court.
She had been seeking him out, and now, by a twist of fate, they met in this corridor. Any other person, colliding with him and meeting his piercing gaze, would have been terrified beyond measure. Yet, Nan Shi Ying remained unfazed by his imposing presence. After all, in terms of status, she, the Empress of Da Yuan Kingdom, was far more noble than this illegitimate Regent.
Nan Shi Ying slowly raised her head, her gaze sweeping upwards from his seemingly slender yet implicitly powerful physique, finally settling on his face.
The moment their eyes met, both Nan Shi Ying and Ji Jin Mo’s hearts jolted.
As the Empress of Da Yuan Kingdom, Nan Shi Ying had encountered countless men. Yet, in her entire life, only a select few possessed even a fraction of this man’s charisma.
The only one who could rival him was a fleeting glimpse in her youth, the unattainable distant mountain moon she cherished her entire life, the Grand Tutor of Da Yuan, Yue Si Nan, who had passed away over twenty years ago!
Ji Jin Mo’s eyebrows were slightly lowered, the deep shadows cast by his long, thick lashes lending a profound intensity to his eye contours. His somewhat narrow eyes, however, infused this richness with a sharp, cold edge. His eyes, clear white with pupils like black ink, simply by him lowering his gaze, evoked a primal sense of being watched by a tiger or crushed by a mountain, a feeling of oppressive terror.
Yet, his nose and mouth were somewhat delicate. A straight, well-defined nose bridged a slightly small tip, and his lips, neither thin nor thick, were naturally tinged with pink. The slight upward curve of his mouth created a dissonant, almost tearing sensation.
But it was precisely this mingled disharmony that prevented his face from being merely handsome or refined. Instead, it possessed a complex beauty that defied description.
This beauty, in turn, was overshadowed by the captivating power he exuded, forbidding one from looking too closely or delving too deeply, leaving only a tremor of shock in the heart.
While Nan Shi Ying observed Ji Jin Mo, he too was observing her.
Her facial contours were not exceptional, with round, apricot-shaped eyes and curved brows. Only the fluttering of her lashes when she blinked, like a fan, lent a touch of soft, childish cuteness to her otherwise plain features. Yet, she possessed eyes that were exceptionally bright, like a radiant moon, like a starry river. Illuminated by the lamplight, they seemed to hold a rising sun deep within their pupils.
Enveloping him, burning within his heart.
This fiery intensity gave him an illusion of his soul being perceived.
Her nose was well-shaped, with a high bridge and a delicate tip. Her lips, while not perfectly formed, had a slightly upturned upper lip that conveyed a coy, alluring charm, as if inviting yet holding back.
These features, not individually exquisite, combined to form a face that was vibrant, radiant, and devastatingly beautiful.
However, what struck Ji Jin Mo more than her face was the subtle aura that surrounded her, an aura that could indeed contend with his own.
The servants holding the lanterns trembled uncontrollably, their bodies quivering under the oppressive atmosphere. Even Xuan Yi, who had always followed Ji Jin Mo, instinctively took two steps back, unable to fully withstand the pressure. He looked at the unfamiliar woman before him with disbelief.
Could there truly be a woman in this world whose aura could match Master’s?
This was akin to seeing a ghost!
“Your servant pays her respects to Your Highness!”
Nan Shi Ying broke the lingering silence first. She bent her knees slightly, performing a graceful curtsy, her voice soft and melodious, like the ripples stirred on a clear lake by a spring breeze, causing a stir in the heart.
“Your servant?”
Xuan Yi’s eyes widened instantly.
In the entire manor, there was only one secondary consort and two favored concubines, all of whom he recognized. Yet, this stranger, clad in a maid's attire, referred to herself as ‘Your servant’? Given her unfamiliarity and such a title, her identity was readily apparent!
Could this woman, whose aura subtly matched yet countered Master’s, be that Nan Yuan Er, whose birth was foretold by a sage as having a ‘noble phoenix’s body and a motherly demeanor fit for the heavens’?
Ji Jin Mo looked at the woman before him, his brows furrowed slightly. Though he hadn't closely examined Nan Yuan Er's appearance, he vaguely recalled the burning flames of desire hidden deep within her soul, beneath her seemingly otherworldly facade.
But the person before him…
Her clear, limpid gaze was like a precious gem buried in the river of ancient time, carrying the weight and depth of ages, the unrestrained pride and defiance of someone who had weathered countless storms to find freedom, the restrained composure of one who hid their sword within their heart without a trace.
How could such a person be Nan Yuan Er?
Ji Jin Mo’s brows knitted together, his ink-dark, unfathomable eyes fixed on Nan Shi Ying. The wind that swept through the corridor seemed to be obstructed, curving mid-air. The surrounding lanterns swayed erratically, the grating sound of beams against iron hooks unceasing. The candlelight flickered, casting shadows that danced, imbuing this small corridor with an atmosphere of impending doom, like dark clouds pressing down upon a city about to fall.
Xuan Yi subconsciously swallowed, his feet shifting uncomfortably back another half-step. Then, he heard a sharp, piercing question laced with thinly veiled hostility: “Who exactly are you?”
Xuan Yi’s head shot up, his gaze falling upon the woman standing demurely before them.
What did Master mean by that? Was this woman not Nan Yuan Er?
Upon hearing the question, Nan Shi Ying offered a faint smile and, bending her knees again, performed another禮. However, she remained silent about her identity, instead saying, "Would Your Highness be amenable to visiting my Xin Yuan Pavilion? I shall answer all Your Highness's questions there, without deception!"
Seeing her unhurried, respectful yet undaunted demeanor, Xuan Yi’s eyes widened once more. When Master was angered, it was not uncommon for rivers of blood to flow, or for his wrath to descend like a thunderbolt. Not only ordinary people but even powerful officials would tremble before him. Yet, this woman seemed oblivious, showing no hint of fear.
Could such a woman truly exist in this world?
Ji Jin Mo looked at Nan Shi Ying and suddenly broke into a smile. In the corridor, it was as if ten thousand rays of sunlight bloomed forth.
Nan Shi Ying’s heart skipped a beat, feeling that the lofty mountains, the flowing rivers, and a hundred streams in this world could not compare to his mere smile.
“Good!”
His deep, smiling voice echoed through the air, deeply imprinting itself in Nan Shi Ying's mind, much like the man himself.