Chapter 248: The Clear Mirror
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"I wonder what the First Lady desires…"
Ye Qinghan chuckled softly. "Xu Zhanfeng, I've been waiting for you to say that for a very long time, you know?"
Xu Zhanfeng knelt with a thud, thinking to himself: Did I say the wrong thing?
"Madam, Zhanfeng has overstepped! Please punish me!"
Ye Qinghan was speechless. Was she really that intimidating?
"No, Xu Zhanfeng! Are you fucking insane? I was just about to compliment you!"
Xu Zhanfeng fell silent, kneeling at Ye Qinghan's feet in a posture of complete submission.
"Xu Steward, in future matters, you may speak plainly. Is Qinghan one who doesn't understand reason?"
"Since you serve our Master, Steward Xu, you should naturally discuss matters with Qinghan. If you keep relying on guessing people's intentions, you're bound to make mistakes someday, aren't you?"
Hmph. A woman's heart is already like a needle at the bottom of the sea. Even the Master couldn't fathom a vixen's mind—how could you possibly guess?
"Qinghan has said more than once that I never regard stewards as outsiders or servants. Could it be that you look down on Qinghan because of my youth?"
Xu Zhanfeng inwardly cursed himself—he’d spoken out of turn!
He scrambled to salvage the situation: "Your Excellency, please understand! I never meant to imply such a thing!"
"Since we work together, how could Qinghan dare let her presence hinder Master’s important matters? Steward Xu needn’t be so cautious about everything. It doesn’t matter whether it’s overstepping or not—only fulfilling Master’s arrangements is the right path. Speak your mind freely."
Xu Zhanfeng instantly understood. He had indeed overstepped—though not in the way he'd feared.
"The First Lady speaks wisely. That was precisely my intention—to avoid reckless actions that might disrupt the Master's plans in the Northern Realm."
Ye Qinghan nodded. Evidently, Xu Zhanfeng wasn't entirely incapable of speaking properly.
"The Master intends for Qinghan to govern the Northern Realm. But you surely understand that Qinghan has no interest in Northern affairs. Accepting this role is merely to manage the Northern Realm on behalf of my mother. When she returns, I shall relinquish the position of Northern Ruler."
"That said, having accepted the responsibility, Qinghan intends to fulfill it wholeheartedly."
"Even if Qinghan rules the Northern Domain as Demon Emperor for just one day, it must be done in a way that earns the trust and satisfaction of all. I want my master to know that if Qinghan sets her mind to something, she will see it through!"
Xu Zhanfeng felt it had been ages since he'd seen Ye Qinghan like this. The true essence of a Demon Emperor lay not in bloodline or hereditary titles.
That gaze that looked down upon all beings, that aura commanding respect without anger—it was exactly as it had been when they first met in the secret realm.
Though her tone held no emotion, it sent a chill down his spine.
Xu Zhanfeng had been at Lingxian Hall for some time and had heard of Ye Qinghan's story.
To defy criticism and scorn to apprentice herself to a man branded a failure—her audacity was undeniable.
He chuckled inwardly, almost as if mocking himself. He couldn't recall when he had forgotten the First Lady's intimidating presence.
"What does the First Lady intend to do?"
Ye Qinghan smiled and spoke frankly.
"In many matters, Qinghan was slow to grasp the truth. Reflecting now on those events, perhaps in the eyes of my master, my actions truly were those of a child."
"What are you implying, Madam?"
"Did Steward Xu ever laugh behind my back, calling me a child?"
"Madam, you see clearly. How could Zhan Feng dare?"
Ye Qinghan smiled: "I never understood before why Master, being so formidable, ended up in such a pitiful state, subjected to humiliation."
"It was only recently that Qinghan finally grasped the truth."
"A solitary powerhouse isn't truly powerful—they're an anomaly. Neither the immortal sects nor the Four Realms would tolerate such a being standing above them."
"The weak are bound by rules, while the strong are bound by power. Even if my master possessed three heads and six arms, how could he possibly fight the entire world?"
"Yet what my master feared most was always me. In the end, it was for Qinghan's sake that he had to abandon his life of obscurity and pave the way for her."
Yes, putting herself in Cheng Liang's shoes, this outcome wasn't hard to understand. Yet despite its simplicity, she had never considered it.
She even saw it as Master's weakness, arrogantly believing she could change his mind.
A tree that stands out in the forest is sure to be struck by the wind. Was it worth it for a scheming fox spirit disciple?
Was Qinghan truly just a child?
"Steward Xu, do you now understand Qinghan's meaning?"
"Madam, we mustn't rush this matter. It requires careful selection and cultivation."
"There's no rush. But Dongfang Jue's army must return eventually, mustn't they?"
Xu Zhanfeng no longer bore the treacherous expression of a court villain. Facing Ye Qinghan now, he carried an added measure of composure.
"Madam's journey is supported by the will of the people. Wherever the army passes, the common folk rejoice. A virtuous minister chooses his master wisely. Madam need only go with the flow. When the time comes, you'll have no shortage of capable men."
Ye Qinghan smiled faintly. "Then let's proceed as you suggest. Come, let's see what that fellow has to say."
Built against the mountains, this city bore the name Shoufeng. Ye Qinghan found it a peculiar name, likely carrying some historical significance like Yong'an City, though she couldn't be bothered to delve into such matters.
Compared to that, Ye Qinghan was far more eager to learn about her master.
The city had been recaptured by the Northern Garrison Army three days prior. As the ruler of the Northern Domain, she had received several "important figures" within the city.
Truthfully, she wished she possessed superhuman abilities like Li Shiyao's—the kind that could distinguish good from evil. That would save her a lot of trouble.
In the dungeons beneath the city lord's residence lay the person Ye Qinghan had been desperate to see.
Her junior sister's actions in that remote border town had somewhat alerted the enemy. Anyone with a brain could see the situation clearly now, save for the reckless fools who didn't know when to quit.
Ye Qinghan's investigation hadn't been going smoothly either, which was why he'd resorted to interrogation to extract answers.
It was a pain. Having to personally meet this scum, speaking to such a beast—it truly disgusted her.
The dungeon was pitch-black. Bound to a chair, a naked woman lay covered in wounds, tortured beyond recognition.
Ye Qinghan felt no pity for such a creature. For such heinous, beastly acts, this treatment was nowhere near sufficient punishment.
To say she was covered in wounds was no exaggeration. Such a sight would have terrified Li Shiyao into tears had she witnessed it.
"They forced me! I had nothing to do with this, Your Highness! Please, just end it!"
Ye Qinghan turned her head, tilting it toward Xu Zhanfeng. "You summoned me just to hear this?"
The woman seemed to be growing desperate. This Xu Zhanfeng was a complete and utter demon! He was more demonic than the demons themselves!
"Your Highness, those children were all captured on Sixth Prince's orders, and the transport was handled by Fourth Prince's men. You know I couldn't possibly stand up to them!"
Ye Qinghan patted Xu Zhanfeng's shoulder and said earnestly, "It seems even a steward like you can't avoid oversights in your work, can you?"
Xu Zhanfeng showed no surprise. Since the First Lady wished to play this game, he would oblige.
He knelt with a thud, his eyes glaring fiercely at the woman bound tightly to the torture chair!
"First Lady, I beg your forgiveness. This will never happen again."
The woman's gaze at Xu Zhanfeng terrified her so much she wet herself. But by now, she had long lost any sense of shame. After being brought in, she had no idea what was happening.
Dignity? Her body? Hope?
She didn't even know how long she'd been here. Steward Xu hadn't granted her a single moment of comfort. Xu Zhanfeng knew exactly how to crush a person's spirit—mentally, physically, and soulfully.
"Your Highness, I'll tell you everything! I never saw that man—only know Fourth Master called him Second Brother!"
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