Feng Xie's dark pupils flickered, his expression shifting. His long, narrow phoenix eyes narrowed, and a cold, captivating smile played on his lips.
"I haven't crippled your martial arts, but I have sealed your inner power. Without my unsealing it, no one else can. You might as well stay obediently within the palace walls from now on, to prevent you from constantly thinking about leaving. If you don't inquire about what you were doing outside the palace, I won't pursue it."
Feng Xie's voice softened slightly. The halos of light on his hands slowly receded and then disappeared as he withdrew his hands.
Liu Liu immediately felt her body weaken significantly. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. She hadn't expected this man to seal her inner power.
Without inner power, her martial arts techniques were as good as useless. Liu Liu raised her head and glared at Feng Xie with hatred. "Unseal my acupoints. Since you've sealed my inner power, what's the point of keeping my acupoints sealed?"
Feng Xie smiled wickedly at Liu Liu's words, a faint glint in his eyes. He reached out and unsealed her acupoints. Liu Liu stretched her stiffened body and quickly asked, "Did you behead those people? Did you really behead them?"
"What would you do if I told you they have already been beheaded?"
Feng Xie teased the woman beside him as if she were a little mouse. He felt an impulse to pull her into his arms, but he saw her strong resistance towards him, so he temporarily restrained himself. He believed that with enough time, she would slowly fall in love with him and willingly stay in the palace.
"You... you wouldn't have really beheaded them, would you?" Liu Liu's face had already changed upon hearing Feng Xie's words, her voice trembling. She stared intently at the man before her. Killing so many people without batting an eye was the act of a devil. "You actually killed them."
Seeing her pain, Feng Xie's brow furrowed slightly, a deep hint of emotion flashing in his eyes. His heart twitched, and he quickly said, "Alright, Liu'er, don't be anxious. The people at the execution ground weren't your masters. They are still locked up in the dungeon."
"Huh?" Liu Liu almost fainted upon hearing this. It seemed this man had no intention of killing her aunt and the others from the start. But she had actually fallen for his trick. She lowered her head wordlessly, now only wanting to bite this man to death.
Her martial arts had been sealed by him. How could she leave the palace now? She couldn't even rescue her aunt and the others. Without her martial arts, she was no different from a cripple. She felt extremely dejected.
"What's wrong?" Feng Xie's voice was surprisingly gentle. Liu Liu looked up at him with suspicion. What was this man plotting now? It seemed he had been different from the moment he returned to the palace. A cold smile played on his lips. "What new scheme does Your Majesty have in mind?"
Feng Xie's handsome face twitched a few times. His eyes gazed deeply at the woman before him. It seemed the rift between them was too deep, and this woman was always on guard against him.
Even if he confessed his love for her now, saying he was willing to spare that Ming Hui for her, she would probably still think he was plotting something.
Was this like walking down a dark road and encountering a ghost? However, he would slowly break through her heart. Now that he knew his own feelings, he wouldn't let her go.
Liu Liu looked at the unfathomable expression on the man beside her. His dark eyes were as deep as an ancient abyss, making it impossible to discern his thoughts. She got up early and stood to the side, giving a graceful curtsy.
"Your Majesty, please release Ming Hui Daoist and the others. Although they were eager for revenge, they did not cause any actual harm to Your Majesty."
"Attempting to assassinate Your Majesty, and you say there was no actual harm? Does the Empress not think that statement is rather weak?"
Feng Xie's lips curved into a playful smile. If it weren't for the fact that Ming Hui Daoist was Liu Liu's master, and he was eager to show favor to the Empress, he would have already killed those assassins. How could he possibly let them go so easily?
Liu Liu was somewhat speechless, her face cold. The smile on her lips held no warmth, as she knew this man wouldn't easily agree. Moreover, assassination attempts on an emperor could be punishable by death, otherwise, they wouldn't be seeking revenge.
"Yes, you are the high and mighty Emperor. Your word is law. If someone attempts to assassinate you, they deserve to die. But during the transition from the old dynasty to your Feng Dynasty, how many people died? Why should their family members die and be killed?"
Liu Liu shouted excitedly, her eyes filled with bloodshot veins. At this moment, she thought of the Su family, her mother Wen Yao, and the entire Su family of innocent people, as well as the families of the nuns.
How many families did the Feng family destroy to gain this empire? How many people did they ruin? Now, Feng Xie dared to say that they deserved to die, simply because of his noble status?
Feng Xie looked at the rosy birthmark on Liu Liu's small face, which became even more vibrant. Even the other half of her face was flushed, clearly due to her anger. Her eyes were wide open, filled with hatred towards him, and her lips were curved in a fierce smile.
Feng Xie's eyes flickered with confusion, then darkened. What was wrong with Liu Liu? He shouldn't forget that the daughter of Prime Minister Liu of the new dynasty existed alongside the new dynasty. It seemed she had been misled and corrupted by that Ming Hui.
Those people would go to any lengths, causing Liu Liu to sympathize with those who had died. New generations always replace the old; people will always die. This is the natural order of things, not something he actively sought to cause.
"Liu'er, why are you so agitated? You are my Empress, how can you sympathize with those people? Although that Ming Hui taught you martial arts, she used you. Shouldn't you hate her?"
Feng Xie calmly reminded Liu Liu, as if she had reversed her identity. If he hadn't known she was his cousin, he would truly have considered her an ally of those assassins in the future.
Liu Liu was startled and sobered up. What was he doing? Did he still intend to harm her parents and brother?
After all, if Feng Xie realized she wasn't a child of the Liu household, she didn't know how he would deal with those who had loved her.
Liu Liu, having thought this through, her gaze dimmed slightly. However, her expression remained grim, and she stared directly at Feng Xie.
"I merely sympathize with those people. They have already lost their loved ones and are left alone. Can't Your Majesty show benevolence and release them? I believe they will never dare to enter the palace again. Or, cripple their martial arts. Without martial arts, they cannot even enter the palace. Even if they wanted revenge, they would be powerless."
Feng Xie listened to Liu Liu's suggestion, and his long, narrow phoenix eyes lifted. His phoenix eyes held a wicked smile, and his thin lips curved into a rare, gentle arc. "Alright, I will consider it. I will consider it. I know Liu'er is worried about Master Ming Hui, which is why she is so anxious. Liu'er has just returned, so rest well. I will handle this matter."
"Your Majesty, I wish to see them," Liu Liu softened her tone. Now she had to ask for favors, and she had no martial arts. What else could support her?
If she had martial arts, she could still cause trouble in the dungeon at night. But now, she could only depend on this man's will to decide if she could see her master.
"We'll talk about it after I've decided."
Feng Xie, clad in imperial yellow, stood up. His tall figure stood beside Liu Liu.
Liu Liu took a step back, nearly falling. Feng Xie quickly reached out and pulled her back, causing her head to hit his chest with a muffled grunt. Why did his chest have to be so sturdy? Furthermore, this damned man had sealed her inner power, making her very weak.
The thought of this made Liu Liu's expression flicker between emotions. He wouldn't even let her see her master. What was she still doing here? Her face suddenly turned cold.
"Then Your Majesty should leave." She struggled to break free from his embrace. Feng Xie released her, not wanting to anger her now that she had just returned.
From now on, he needed to learn how to coexist peacefully with her. Although he was very angry internally, he could still endure it. He had been emperor for too long and didn't know how to interact with someone he liked.
He wanted to cherish and dote on her, but she didn't accept it. And she clearly didn't like him. The thought of this possibility made Feng Xie's expression turn grim.