[008] The Atmosphere Reached the Utmost Awkwardness
“Bei Mingye, how dare you be so insolent! My consort—how could you presume to interfere?!”
The Empress’s face darkened dramatically, her delicate body trembling slightly, clearly filled with unrestrained anger.
Her exquisite features twisted in fury, and her beautiful eyes glared at Bei Mingye as if she could shoot flames from them.
Next to her, her consort Chen Lie looked completely devastated, his face as pale as paper, instinctively recoiling backward, eyes full of fear and shame.
After all, being openly reprimanded so mercilessly in front of everyone left him utterly humiliated.
In truth, however, Chen Lie was secretly delighted. He loved seeing Li Luoluo and Bei Mingye “tempt fate” like this—humiliate him all they wanted.
On the surface, they were shaming him, but in reality, they were shaming the Empress. And if she were to fly into a rage… the consequences could be unimaginable.
Li Luoluo, standing to the side, was equally shocked. She had never expected Bei Mingye to dare, for her sake, to put the Empress’s consort in such a humiliating position in front of his mother.
For a moment, her eyes were filled with complex emotions as she looked at Bei Mingye, only to meet his deep, cold, and fathomless black eyes—unable to look away.
At the same time, General Xiao Yichen’s sharp gaze fixed on Bei Mingye and Li Luoluo, a subtle, fleeting glint of cold light passing through them.
He snorted coldly and spoke in an icy tone:
“The Crown Princess and the Snake King, you really carry a lot of authority, don’t you? To show such disrespect to the Empress’s consort in front of Her Majesty!”
“Do you have no regard for the Empress’s dignity at all? Or have you completely disregarded Her Majesty’s authority?”
As he spoke, Xiao Yichen frowned slightly, a strange feeling rising in his chest.
He noticed something unusual about the Crown Princess today—she seemed different from before—but he couldn’t quite pinpoint what had changed.
This vague awareness left him confused and deeply wary of the Crown Princess’s transformation.
Grand Marshal Huo Tingyue’s lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile, though it never reached his eyes. Coldness lingered beneath it.
His long, sharp eyes, like those of a hawk, first casually glanced at Li Luoluo and Bei Mingye, then slowly swept over Tuoba Jinghao, Huo Sinian, and Zhong Hua with a piercing, knife-like gaze.
In a low voice, tinged with threat, he said:
“Empress, leaving aside other matters for now, the fact that Bei Mingye and the Crown Princess dared to show such disrespect to your consort is an act of great rebellion and should be severely punished!”
“Otherwise, if everyone were to follow their example, would the Empress’s authority not vanish completely?”
His deep blue eyes were as mysterious and captivating as an endless ocean. Yet beneath this charming exterior lay a mind as unfathomable as the ocean’s depths. Even someone as clever as Li Luoluo could not discern his true intentions.
Seeing the General and the Marshal turn their ire toward Li Luoluo and Bei Mingye, Chen Lie’s heart leapt with joy. He hurriedly stepped forward and knelt with a thud.
Raising his head, he said earnestly to the Empress:
“Your Majesty, please judge with fairness. The Crown Princess is still young and sometimes acts impulsively.
“Although I’ve suffered a bit this time, what is that compared to maintaining our family’s harmony and stability? I am willing to endure any hardship for that!”
“You must not let this trivial matter cause a rift between you and the Crown Princess.”
On the surface, his words seemed like a plea on Li Luoluo’s behalf. In reality, they were laced with hidden schemes, meant to sow discord.
His insincere tone and expression were transparent to anyone paying attention.
Li Luoluo, standing nearby, couldn’t help rolling her eyes. She was about to speak up when the Empress raised her hand to stop her.
The Empress’s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Chen Lie, her tone gentle:
“Ah Lie, you truly understand righteousness. Indeed, as you said, Luoluo has been spoiled by me since childhood and may sometimes act without thinking.
“But you are right—I should not let such a minor matter create discord between us.”
She sighed lightly and continued:
“This is, after all, a small misunderstanding. Punishing Luoluo and her consort harshly could harm her reputation. So, we must let this go.”
Turning her head, the Empress smiled warmly at Chen Lie. The kindness and sincerity in her eyes left him momentarily stunned. He had not expected her to follow his words so completely, without even a token rebuke.
For a moment, the atmosphere was unbearably awkward.
Unable to resist, Li Luoluo leapt into Bei Mingye’s arms, laughing so hard that her shoulders shook.
“Oh my, the Empress is amazing! She completely turned the tables on the jealous consort.”
General Xiao Yichen and Grand Marshal Huo Tingyue cast a dark glance at their “useless teammate” Chen Lie, quickly finding an excuse to leave, without even mentioning deposing the Crown Princess. They vanished like the wind.
In the shadows, Li Yaoyao fumed, cursing her father for being so foolish and missing such a perfect opportunity, letting her and the Crown Princess’s positions slip away.
The Empress then turned her gaze to Tuoba Jinghao, Huo Sinian, and Zhong Hua, eyes deep and piercing:
“Now that there’s no one else here, tell me honestly—did Luoluo ever abuse you? Were you truly unharmed? If you lie now and later claim she mistreated you, I will punish you severely!”
“Even your clans behind you will not protect you.”
She knew her daughter’s temperament well. As the Empress of the Blue Star Empire and Luoluo’s mother, she always considered every detail for her daughter’s sake. She had already lost Luoluo’s father and would never allow her only daughter to be maligned by the world.
Tuoba Jinghao’s heart skipped a beat under the Empress’s sharp gaze. He forced out each word carefully:
“Your Majesty, rest assured, the Crown Princess has treated me well. She has never abused me.”
Though these words went against his conscience and caused him great inner pain, after witnessing the Crown Princess’s recent actions, he knew speaking cautiously was the only way to survive.
