Free Web NovelChapter 763: Chapter 198: The Four Great Feudal Lords’ Probing (Part 1)
"In the Taixuan Demon Realm, fiefs serve as cities, and the Vassal Lord is equivalent to the City Lord." Gu Ya, standing behind Mu Qingge, was introducing the situation regarding the Taixuan Demon Realm in a low voice.
Mu Qingge listened silently, while in her heart, she pondered, ’This is the place where Si Mo lives, this is his world?’
"The four vassals whom the young lord will meet soon are the city lords of the four major cities in the Demon Realm, guarding the four corners, and are very loyal to Your Majesty with considerable abilities. However..." Gu Ya suddenly paused.
Mu Qingge’s eyes moved slightly, looking at him.
Her clear gaze fell upon him, causing Gu Ya to avoid the scorching stare, as he lightly coughed and said, "These four might make things difficult for the young lord’s identity."
"Make things difficult?" Mu Qingge raised an eyebrow.
Gu Ya nodded.
Gu Ye said, "These four have followed Your Majesty in conquering all areas since childhood, their admiration for Your Majesty is unparalleled. In their hearts, across the Three Thousand Worlds, no woman deserves Your Majesty. Now, with the emergence of the young lord, I fear it may incite their displeasure, and they might deliberately cause trouble."
"Deliberately cause trouble?" Mu Qingge murmured softly, a fleeting trace of sarcasm appearing at the corner of her mouth.
Mu Qingge’s attitude made Gu Ya and Gu Ye exchange a glance, both of them stopped talking.
The two led Mu Qingge into the Taixuan Ancient Palace. Personally stepping into this structure, Mu Qingge felt even more the magnificence of it.
The palaces here seemed to float in the air, occasionally some sat on the ground, yet they all gave a dreamy and ethereal feeling.
The entire Taixuan Ancient Palace was shrouded in faint purple wisps of smoke, lending the area a mysterious and noble aura.
"The tallest palace over there is the Zichen Palace." Gu Ya raised his hand to point out to Mu Qingge the tallest palace in the entire Taixuan Ancient Palace.
Mu Qingge glanced around and asked, "There are few people in this Taixuan Ancient Palace." Indeed, she had not seen a single palace maid or guard along the way.
"Your Majesty dislikes noise, so after ascending the throne, a portion of the people in Taixuan Ancient Palace were dismissed. Later... because..." Gu Ya hesitated, stealing a glance at Mu Qingge, and then looked down, seeking help from Gu Ye.
His hesitation piqued Mu Qingge’s curiosity instead.
She turned her eyes to the two of them, and Gu Ye, somewhat embarrassed, replied, "Later, there was a palace maid who wanted to seduce Your Majesty. Enraged, Your Majesty drove all the palace maids out of the palace, leaving only those advanced in years or faded in beauty to handle daily cleaning and laundry."
Mu Qingge’s mouth twitched, internally remarking: ’So someone wanted to climb Si Mo’s bed!’
"The road to the Zichen Palace has always been guarded by us, no outsiders are allowed to approach without permission, and now everyone else is waiting in the Zichen Palace for the young lord, which is why the young lord hasn’t seen anyone along the way." Gu Ya explained.
Mu Qingge barely perceptibly nodded, raising her eyes to look at the lofty, suspended palace.
At the top of the palace, dense purple smoke swirled, with a large Luminous Pearl embedded, emitting a cold radiance both day and night.
Arriving at the foot of the Zichen Palace, the surrounding mist slowly converged toward the center, forming a floating staircase connecting the ground to the palace.
Mu Qingge stepped on it, immediately enveloped by a slightly cold aura.
Fortunately, she possessed the Abnormal Fire, so this coldness did not trouble her. Stepping on the floating ladder felt like walking on clouds, with no sense of firm footing beneath her.
"Young lord, those advocating using Your Majesty’s hard work to reinvent the bones and flesh are thinking of fostering a puppet king, then slowly dividing their territories, returning the entire Demon Realm to a period of separate governance and mutual warfare. We must stop them." Gu Ya quietly said behind Mu Qingge.
Gu Ye also added, "Actually, as long as Your Majesty appears, these people will all retreat obediently without daring to act recklessly. However, with Your Majesty not yet found, it must fall upon the young lord to maintain control over them." He then cautiously asked, "Young lord, regarding the child in your belly..."
Mu Qingge’s mouth twitched, lightly coughing, she slowly said, "Rest assured, anyone investigating will find nothing amiss."
Her answer made Gu Ya and Gu Ye secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
In the context of the entire Taixuan Demon Realm, Mu Qingge’s identity is mysterious, and the only qualification allowing her to stand and speak before the demon populace is the ’child’ in her womb!
...
Inside the Zichen Palace, eight hundred Demon Guards and the Four Great Vassal Lords were quietly awaiting.
When footsteps approached from outside, the eight hundred Demon Guards instinctively turned their heads toward the source of the sound. Meanwhile, the Four Great Vassal Lords exchanged knowing glances, each coming to a silent understanding.
Under everyone’s anticipation, a figure clad in red first entered their sight.
"Why red clothing? Throughout the Demon Realm, who doesn’t know that Your Majesty detests red the most?" The vassal lord, as beautiful as a demon, frowned displeased upon seeing the red garment.
The vassal lord with deep, resolute features spoke for the first time, "Who can truly understand Your Majesty’s intentions? Gu Ya and Gu Ye, who have been with him for years, wouldn’t casually bring a woman here to make up the numbers."
The twin-looking great vassals exchanged glances, nodding in agreement.
Their conversation had just ended when, through a thin layer of purple fog, they finally got a clear view of Mu Qingge.
A figure in red clothing, tall and graceful, her hands behind her back, standing straight with an aura that doesn’t falter in the slightest. Her exquisitely beautiful features, lovely like the sun, moon, and stars, commanding brilliance over all things. Most importantly, as she walks in this Zichen Palace, she shows no signs of fear, her clear eyes carrying a calm and serene light, yet still sharp and proud.
That stunning face, and the wild heroic spirit between her brows, are attracting everyone’s gaze.
’Is this the woman His Majesty has taken a liking to?’
’Is this the future mistress of their Demon Realm?’
’This devastatingly beautiful appearance certainly befits His Majesty. However, their mistress is not merely an empty vase with beauty.’
The gazes of eight hundred Demon Guards move slowly with Mu Qingge’s steps.
Following behind her are Gu Ya and Gu Ye, who have resumed their cold demeanor of the Demon Guards, guarding Mu Qingge on either side, appearing just like her trusted aides.
Mu Qingge nonchalantly sweeps her gaze over the eight hundred Demon Guards. They are all dressed in standardized black armor, adorned with purple tinged with golden highlights. The helmets obscure their faces, revealing only eyes that are cold, severe, and rational.
Even when they first saw her and revealed looks of awe, they still maintained sobriety within that awe.
Just by glancing, Mu Qingge gives a high evaluation of these eight hundred Demon Guards in her heart. After that, her gaze falls on the four handsome men standing in front of the Demon Guards.
’It seems these four are the Four Great Vassals that Gu Ya and Gu Ye spoke of,’ Mu Qingge thinks to herself.
She secretly scrutinizes the four men, and they, in turn, secretly scrutinize her.
Just like the eight hundred Demon Guards, they find Mu Qingge’s remarkable appearance flawless.
However—
"Woman, you are the one chosen by His Majesty? Do you know the most detested color by His Majesty is gaudy red?" The vassal lord, whose appearance is as handsome as a demon, first criticizes coldly.
"Vassal Lord Ling Jiu, do not be rude," Gu Ya sternly defends before Mu Qingge can reply.
Mu Qingge’s lips curl slightly, ignoring his criticism, and asks in an extremely slow, extremely calm, yet extremely cold tone, "Who are you?"
Her reaction makes the other three vassal lords take another few glances at her.
It seems her reaction is beyond their expectations.
At this point, Gu Ye steps forward and introduces Mu Qingge with respect, "Little Lord, these four are His Majesty’s confidant generals. The one who just spoke is Vassal Lord Ling Jiu, who guards the North, and this one is Vassal Lord Ji Fu, who guards the West." He points to the man with profound, determined features.
Mu Qingge’s gaze shifts lightly over, with no ripple in her eyes.
This causes Ji Fu to frown slightly, with more contemplation in his gaze toward Mu Qingge.
"These two..." Gu Ye continues, introducing the pair of twins. He points to the man with a tear mole under his eye, saying, "They are brothers. The elder brother with the tear mole is Vassal Lord Qing Yan, guarding the East." His finger moves slightly, pointing to the other, "This is Vassal Lord Qing Ze, guarding the South."
After the four have been introduced, Mu Qingge remembers them, though there is not the slightest emotion in her eyes.
Her attitude causes some displeasure among the four Great Vassals. This small woman, when facing the four of them, actually shows no intention of ingratiating herself, nor does she display any emotions such as admiration, nervousness, panic, or surprise.
So calm, as if the four of them in her eyes are no different from ordinary guards.
Even Yan Ya, who constantly wants to move into the Mountain and Sea Palace, despite carrying the title of a vassal lord, would still flaunt her pretentiousness when meeting the four of them.
What right does this unknown woman have to maintain such an indifferent calm in front of them?
"Four Vassal Lords, this is the one cherished dearly by His Majesty. Regarding her identity, we cannot speak while His Majesty is absent. During her stay in the Taixuan Ancient Palace, we’ll refer to her as Her Highness the Princess," Gu Ye says to the four.
"Her Highness the Princess? Is she worthy?" Ling Jiu sarcastically sneers.
Mu Qingge’s gaze slowly moves and falls on him, blandly stating, "You talk too much."
The sneer on Ling Jiu’s face stiffens, and his handsome features instantly become sinister as he presses his imposing force toward Mu Qingge.
Mu Qingge stands in place without the slightest dodge or panic.
Gu Ya swiftly steps forward, blocking all of Ling Jiu’s force, making it dissipate into nothing.
Ling Jiu, with a sullen gaze, looks at him, gritting his teeth, "Gu Ya, who gave you the nerve?"
Gu Ya, neither humble nor haughty, says, "Vassal Lord Ling Jiu, His Majesty entrusted Her Highness’s safety to me since long ago."
His response darkens Ling Jiu’s expression.
Mu Qingge gives him a mocking glance, then moves her gaze from him and says to the four, "We all know why I’m here. If you continue wasting efforts on this tedious testing, don’t blame me for leaving. To me, Si Mo’s safety is far more important than your Taixuan Demon Realm’s stability."
