Yun Haisheng cleared his throat as if he had just said something profound.
"Qingqing, although Yuelin is from the Hua family, she personally serves the Eldest Princess. She cannot be compared with ordinary women."
There were so many things wrong with that sentence that every single guard twitched at the same time.
A maid?
A maid?
A MAID??
This was the "important guest"? The woman who had been glaring at their young miss like she smelled burnt cabbage?
A servant? A glorified broom holder?
And this old man dared to present her like she descended from the heavens?
The guards' faces darkened together.
This old man must truly believe their young miss was blind, deaf, naive, kind, and stupid all at once.
Bai Lingling felt her eyelid twitch.
Maid my ass.
If she was really from such a "respected" family, why was she scrubbing a princess's shoes instead of sitting on a throne?
Did Yun Haisheng think she was truly that dumb?
She curled her fingers at her side, trying to contain the pure demonic urge rising up her spine.
Yun Haisheng, assuming her silence meant obedience, continued proudly,
"Yuelin is willing to lower her status because she respects your identity as a Heavenly Phoenix bearer. If it were anyone else, she would never accept such humiliation."
One of the guards nearly choked. Lower her status?
SHE IS A MAID. How much lower was she supposed to go?
Dig a hole?
Yun Haisheng's tone grew heavier as he spoke, the fake kindness fading like rotten silk.
"You also understand the danger of your position. You will be on the battlefield often. Demons will target you. Yan Hai and Yuelin are willing to risk their lives for you. You cannot decline this arrangement."
Bai Lingling nearly snorted out loud.
Yan Hai risk his life?
He looked like he would faint if someone raised their voice.
Yun Haisheng continued confidently,
"Female Phoenix bearers often grow old alone because no man dares approach them. But Yuelin, with the protection of the Princess's guards, can safeguard Yan Hai and your future children. This is a blessing other Phoenix bearers cannot even dream of."
The arrogance dripped from every word.
As if he were bestowing divine blessings from his rotten mouth.
Lin Xiaoyu's lips trembled behind Bai Lingling. She wanted to faint out of rage.
The guards' anger rose like boiling water.
Blessing?
Bring a second woman to live in their young miss's home?
To raise her children?
To share her husband?
BLESSING?
If Bai Lingling allowed it, they would drag Yun Haisheng outside and bury him headfirst.
Yun Haisheng pressed on, his smile turning sharp,
"You do not wish for Yan Hai and your future children to live in danger, do you? Yuelin lowering herself like this is a generosity you cannot repay."
Generosity.
The room fell cold.
Bai Lingling turned her head slowly to look at Hua Yuelin.
The girl had a beautiful, gentle face pulled into a tragic little frown.
The kind of frown that made foolish men rush to protect her and made Bai Lingling want to throw her into a well.
Of course Yan Hai's eyes softened immediately.
He looked at her like she was fragile moonlight.
Meanwhile he stared at Bai Lingling like she was a moldy turnip he couldn't wait to throw away.
Ah.
So he already liked this princess-maid creature.
No wonder his face twisted every time he saw Bai Lingling's scar.
Bai Lingling smiled lightly, even though inside her soul she was laughing at their performance.
These people truly thought they were clever.
Yan Hai finally opened his mouth, his voice dripping with disappointment,
"Yun Qingqing, Yuelin has already compromised so much. What more do you want? Our engagement was always a joke. Now that I am willing to honor it, must you be so ruthless?"
Ruthless.
The way he said it, anyone would think Bai Lingling burned his house down.
Bai Lingling stared at him.
Silent.
Expression mild.
But inside?
Wow.
This man truly took delusion and stupidity, mixed them together, and drank the entire pot.
This family…
Turning lies into truth…
Turning betrayal into generosity…
Turning their greed into concern…
It was truly a masterpiece.
A performance only idiots could believe.
And Bai Lingling?
She simply laughed.
Soft.
Scornful.
Like she had just watched a monkey try to recite poetry.
Just when Bai Lingling was preparing to open her mouth and destroy these three clowns with polite words dipped in venom, a sound suddenly rumbling out of the shadows behind her.
A low growl.
Deep. Unfriendly.
The kind of sound that promised violence.
Everyone in the room flinched like frightened chickens.
Bai Lingling turned her head calmly.
In the darkness, two golden eyes opened.
Mo Lingxu slowly stepped out of the shadows, his large beast form stretching fully for the first time since waking. He wasn't huge as in "tear down a city gate," but he wasn't small either. More like the size of a young wild panther still growing into his power. Sleek, dangerous, and annoyed at everything that breathed.
The dim light caught the black sheen of his fur.
His tail swayed lazily, like a warning.
The three intruders froze.
Yan Hai stumbled back so fast he almost fell into Princess Yuelin.
Yun Haisheng's fake smile twitched violently.
Princess Yuelin let out a tiny shriek and hid behind Yan Hai like she was made of glass.
"Qingqing! W-what is that thing?!" Yun Haisheng squeaked.
Mo Lingxu padded forward with quiet steps and sat directly in front of Bai Lingling's leg, his posture elegant and superior, his golden eyes half-lidded as if he was bored of their existence.
Bai Lingling's lips curled.
Finally, someone in the room with taste.
"What? Uncle don't tell me you are scared of a little pet like this" Bai Lingling feigned innocence even though she could clearly tell they were all scared.
Initially the so called visitors had thought it was a young beast but hearing Bai Lingling's words they quickly concluded it was a dog.
Before Bai Lingling could even pet Mo Lingxu, Princess Yuelin let out a dramatic gasp, pointing at Mo Lingxu like she had seen a demon.
"Yan Hai! Dogs! I-I fear dogs!"
Yan Hai immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders, shamelessly pulling her close.
"No worries, Yuelin. I will protect you. Qingqing, hurry and remove that creature—"
Creature?
CREATURE?
Mo Lingxu's ear twitched.
Then his eye twitched.
Then his entire spirit beast dignity twitched.
Inside, he was thinking:
Dog?
How blind were these humans?
The lord of the demon beast court himself… mistaken for a household mutt?
Mo Lingxu felt his claws itch.
His tongue slipped out for half a second — not cute, not playful — just the kind of "I might bite someone" motion a predator made before pouncing.
The guards instinctively stepped forward to shield Bai Lingling.
"Young Miss, should we chase it out—?" one started nervously.
"NO."
Bai Lingling's voice cut through the room like a blade.
Everyone froze.
She reached down and patted Mo Lingxu's head once.
He leaned into her hand with the audacity of a king disguised as a house pet.
"He stays," Bai Lingling said lightly, almost sweetly. "He is mine."
Yan Hai's face twisted.
"A-A beast? You're keeping a beast in your residence? Qingqing, don't be foolish!"
Bai Lingling looked at him with that familiar, gentle, demonic smile.
"In that case," she said softly, "perhaps you should leave instead."
Yan Hai choked.
Princess Yuelin's eyes widened.
Yun Haisheng's jaw dropped.
Mo Lingxu's tail flicked proudly.
Inside his head?
Very good.
Throw them out.
Throw them far.
Throw them into the forest where I can chase them for fun.
The tension snapped like a brittle branch.
Bai Lingling stood tall.
Calm.
Serene.
Dangerous.
And Mo Lingxu, the beast they mistook for a dog, sat by her side with the smugness of someone who knew he was exactly where he belonged.