Liu Liu’s face darkened as Lu Youchen finished speaking, her eyes blazing with unrestrained coldness.
She drifted through Lu family’s main hall, smiling like a thousand-year-old fox, with a playful yet deeply ingrained chill. Even the experienced Old Master Lu was stunned by her demeanor, gazing blankly.
Then, Liu Liu’s figure flickered, swift as lightning, fast as a gentle breeze. A fragrant gust swept through the hall, and a cold, soft sword was pressed against Lu Youchen’s neck, the clanging sound sharp and chilling.
“I’d like to see what it looks like when the Lu family is annihilated?”
With these words, no one in the Lu family dared to move. This woman was too terrifying. Everyone’s faces turned grim, trembling with fear. Even Lu Youchen felt the chill.
Even if he went all out, he probably couldn’t last ten moves against this woman, let alone having underestimated her earlier. Who exactly was this woman?
Wanqing, who had been standing silently beside them, not wanting her brother killed, quickly interjected, “Please don’t hurt my brother.”
Liu Liu turned and swept Wanqing with a glance. If her brother were to marry Wanqing, it wouldn’t be right for her to be unable to return to her maiden home. With a flick of her wrist, the soft sword coiled like a silver snake at her waist, and she dusted her hands as if nothing had happened.
“Alright, for Wanqing’s sake, I’ll spare his life. But from now on, I don’t want anyone to stop Wanqing from marrying my brother. Otherwise, it won’t be a simple matter of a single sword strike.”
Such arrogance, such wicked charm, a dominance that belonged only to her in this world. Coldness surged from the heads of the Lu family. Although they wanted to resist, they were powerless to utter another word. Even Lu Wanyun dared not move, merely staring blankly at the woman before her. She looked so much like Wanfeng. Could she be Wanfeng’s relative? Thinking of this, she was filled with regret, wondering why she hadn’t tried to flatter her properly. But now, things were as they were.
“Thank you,” Wanqing said softly, looking at her stunned parents and brother in the hall. The former’s eyes still held deep fear. Now, regardless of this woman’s origins, they dared not object again. If they angered her, the Lu family might truly face disaster. However, they were unwilling to send their daughter away to someone of unknown origins for no reason, hence their pale, frozen expressions.
Liu Liu swept her gaze over everyone and shook her head, “It’s alright. They are your parents. I won’t trouble them.”
Hearing this, others almost fainted. The sword had already been at their necks, and she said she wouldn’t trouble them. Would it only count as troubling them if she actually killed them? Just then, a soft patter of footsteps echoed from outside the hall door, and a graceful figure walked in. She surveyed the scene, her gaze finally landing on Liu Liu’s face. She secretly wondered who this woman was and why that woman Lou Sijing insisted she find a way to keep her here.
“Daddy, Mommy, we have guests, why aren’t we entertaining them?”
As Luo Xiangsi finished speaking, Ri Ying immediately refused in a deep voice, “No need.”
“But since they’re here, the Lu family won’t just ignore their guests, right?” Luo Xiangsi said, turning to look at Lu Wanqing, “Sister, please ask our guest to stay.”
Liu Liu gazed at Luo Xiangsi. This woman, at first glance, was clearly ill-intentioned. She wondered why she wanted to keep her here, but she did indeed have something to say to Wanqing.
Although she was happy that Wanqing wanted to marry Nangong, she had to let her understand his past. Only if she truly didn’t mind could they be together. However, she wouldn’t reveal her brother’s feelings for her. All that was in the past.
“Okay, I happen to want to talk to Wanqing,” Liu Liu pulled Lu Wanqing’s hand and glanced at Luo Xiangsi, “Wanqing, who is this?”
Lu Wanqing looked at Luo Xiangsi and said softly, “She’s my sister-in-law, Luo Xiangsi?” As Wanqing finished speaking, Liu Liu nodded. She hadn’t paid much attention at first, but after thinking about it, she unexpectedly looked at Luo Xiangsi again. This was because Wu Yang had mentioned her; she seemed to be Yun Jinshu’s cousin. She hadn’t expected her to marry into the Lu family. It seemed the Lu family’s status among the five great families wasn’t high. Otherwise, why would the Lu family want a woman that others had discarded? Liu Liu thought for a moment, said nothing, and simply nodded at Luo Xiangsi.
Ri Ying, standing behind her, heard her master wanted to stay and softly called out, “Master.”
“Alright,” her expression turned serious. Ri Ying and Zhao Jiu didn’t dare to breathe and stepped back. Luo Xiangsi looked at this woman strangely. What a domineering and powerful woman. These subordinates were all handsome and majestic, yet they were extremely afraid of her. It seemed she was a formidable character. She really wondered what kind of relationship Lou Sijing had with this woman.
Lu Wanqing heard that Liu Liu had something to say to her and pulled her hand, “Let’s go to my backyard.” She then ignored her parents’ darkened faces in the hall and led a few people back to her own courtyard.
From afar, Old Master Lu’s powerless voice could be heard, “Who exactly are they? How dare they come to the Lu family and act so arrogantly? Youchen, go and find out their origins immediately.” Liu Liu’s lips curved into a cold smile. If they tried to investigate her, she doubted their immense abilities would uncover anything. Only if she wanted them to know would they know.
As the group entered Wanqing’s courtyard, it felt incredibly lively. Cats and dogs roamed freely in the courtyard, running everywhere. Upon seeing people enter, they joyfully surrounded them. Liu Liu smiled and looked at Wanqing. She truly didn’t seem like a young lady from an ordinary family. Young ladies from ordinary families generally disliked these things, finding them dirty.
“You still raise cats and dogs?”
The little maid behind Wanqing immediately spoke up, “They aren’t raised. Miss picked them up from outside, healed them, and then kept them.” After the little maid finished speaking, she realized she had been impolite. She was used to talking to Miss like this, but these were guests. She quickly lowered her head and retreated.
Liu Liu liked Wanqing’s personality even more. She wanted to speak to Wanqing alone, so she instructed her brother and Mu Xing to wander around the courtyard. She and Wanqing walked into the flower hall, and they sat down, with Liu Liu taking the main seat.
Liu Liu didn’t beat around the bush and spoke directly, “Wanqing, I’m very happy that you’re willing to marry Nangong, but do you know his past?”
“Past?” Wanqing’s hand paused as she was pouring tea. She knew he must have a deeply loved woman hidden in his heart, but she didn’t want to take away that person’s place. After all, those who have loved cannot truly disappear. But she wanted to add herself to his heart. She handed the tea to Liu Liu and sat down beside her.
Although the woman before her was arrogant and overbearing, she really liked her. She had a lot of spirit and was straightforward. In fact, sometimes this was the best way to solve problems.
“I don’t care about his past. The past is the past. Perhaps he deeply loved a woman, perhaps he did terrible things, perhaps he was a villain, but now he is a blank slate. I just want to add myself to him and become the one who can make him happy. What meaning does the past hold?”
Wanqing sighed. She liked him as he was now, not his past. Even if she knew about his past, what meaning would it hold? A gentle smile graced her face.
Liu Liu was drawn to her. This woman was as gentle and vast as the sea, capable of encompassing everything. Therefore, she was worthy of her brother.
“Alright, then let’s not talk about the past. Let’s talk about the present.”
Liu Liu lightly sipped the tea in her hand. It was very fragrant. Perhaps it was because she was in a good mood, even the tea was exceptionally fragrant. She hadn’t expected that not only had her son been found, but her brother was also alive. The heavy stones blocking her heart had finally been removed, so how could she not be happy?
“Okay, I’m listening,” Wanqing nodded. She knew this woman’s background was by no means as simple as it appeared, but what did her background matter? Even if Nangong had nothing, she still loved him and would be willing to take him to a secluded paradise to live a peaceful life.
“If we talk about status, Nangong is not unworthy of your Lu family. He is the Emperor’s maternal uncle. Do you understand now?”
As Liu Liu finished speaking, Wanqing’s head shot up, shocked. The impact was too great. For this woman before her was the current Empress, the Empress who could execute a second-rank official in the Golden Phoenix Hall. Therefore, who would she even put in her eyes? The Lu family had indeed been in grave danger just now. If it weren’t for her, her brother might have died long ago. Sweat beaded in her palms, and she hurriedly stood up.