Ding! Ding! Ding!
The melodious sound of bells echoed through Vermillion Forbidden City.
"This is the bell for the morning court."
Jiang Lihua realized: "Unknowingly, it's already this time."
"Morning court?"
Ayato's eyes flickered: "That means all those high-ranking eunuchs will be there?"
"Yes, Master."
"In that case, let's go have a look too."
Ayato naturally put his arm around CC's waist and walked out of the palace.
As soon as they stepped out of the palace, voices came from all directions.
"What's going on? How did these two come out of the Empress's bedchamber?"
"Since we don't know them, capture them first."
Looking at the crowd surging towards them, CC blinked and said: "There are many people here, but not a single servant in the palace."
"But they all seem quite hostile. Ayato-sama, shall we..."
"No need."
Ayato shook his head, turned to look at Jiang Lihua who had followed, and said: "Can you handle it?"
"No problem."
Jiang Lihua took a breath and stepped forward: "Impolite people, retreat in the presence of the Empress."
"..."
In an instant, the chaotic sounds stopped abruptly.
All the guards looked at Jiang Lihua, instinctively frowning.
'This puppet empress... why was she so different today?'
One couldn't help saying: "Your Majesty, these two are of unknown origin. Please do not trust them."
Jiang Lihua didn't speak, her cold gaze sweeping over everyone.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
All the guards instinctively stepped back.
She was still the same empress, but there was an inexplicable pressure about her that made them involuntarily tremble.
'What was happening?'
'The empress seemed to have transformed into another kind of creature.'
At this moment, they had the illusion of facing a mech with flesh and blood.
'If we disobeyed... we would die.'
Everyone's heart involuntarily had this thought.
Unknowingly, the guards had already made way.
'Not bad…'
Ayato raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth curling up.
'In such a short time, she could already skillfully use the aura of a Devil.'
He smiled and said: "Good job."
Hearing this, the corner of Jiang Lihua's mouth curled up.
'Great, Master praised me.'
'I must work even harder in the future to live up to the name of being Master's servant.'
She steadied her emotions and said respectfully: "Master, the morning court is in that direction. Please follow me."
'What?'
'Master?'
The people around heard Jiang Lihua's address to Ayato and all widened their eyes.
'What was going on?'
'Even a nominal empress was still the sovereign of their country.'
'And now,'
'She was calling this strange man 'Master'.'
'Could it be some kind of special interest roleplay?'
'Was this naive Empress playing so wild?'
"Master, we're here."
Jiang Lihua pointed to a palace ahead.
"Let's go in."
With the empress leading the way, the guards at the morning court were surprised but did not stop them.
Inside the palace, all the civil and military officials of the Federation had gathered.
But standing at the head, speaking eloquently, were several figures dressed in eunuch attire.
They were the actual power holders of the Federation.
"Oh my, isn't this the Empress?"
A eunuch looked at their arrival, a smile appearing on his face: "You've come at the right time. We were just discussing the marriage alliance between you, the Empress, and the prince of the Britannian Empire..."
"Who's yapping?"
Ayato said helplessly: "Lihua, handle it."
"Yes, Master."
Jiang Lihua, who had been unable to hold back, stepped forward and instantly appeared before this eunuch.
Bang!
With a dull thud, she kicked him flying into a stone pillar in the palace.
"Ugh!"
Blood mixed with viscera spurted out. His figure slid down like a fresco, already lifeless.
Silence!
Dead silence!
Everyone's pupils contracted sharply, a look of disbelief in their eyes.
After all, one kick from the empress had kicked a person to death.
'Was this our timid empress, who had only ever been a puppet mascot?'
'Even the most valiant general in the Federation probably couldn't match this, right?'
"Em... Empress, what have you done?"
Another eunuch came to his senses and said with shock and anger: "It seems the Empress has lost her mind. Guards, escort the Empress back to her bedchamber."
With that,
Guards swarmed in from all directions.
Some were even piloting mechs.
The guards stationed here are all the confidants of these eunuchs.
They wouldn't hesitate for a moment even if they had to attack the empress.
"CC."
"Got it."
CC walked forward gracefully, as if strolling.
"This woman, is she coming to die?"
The guard piloting the mech sneered: "You really think you can block..."
Whoosh!
Before he could finish his words, CC had disappeared before him.
The next moment, the cockpit instantly caved in. The guard didn't even have time to cry out before he was crushed into meat paste.
Boom!
The moment the mech exploded,
CC moved again.
Bang! Boom! Bang!
In just a few breaths, figures flew backwards, several mechs instantly scrapped on the spot.
The entire hall once again fell into eerie silence.
Whether eunuchs, civil and military officials, or guards further away.
Everyone's face was blank, looking at the pieces of mechs, then at CC, who was like a queen, as if they had seen a ghost.
"Come up, and die!" CC stood still, looking coldly at the guards in the distance, speaking each word deliberately.
If these people weren't going to be Ayato's property...
She would have already wiped the floor with magic.
Hearing this,
All the guards looked at each other, but ultimately dared not make any move.
Are you kidding?
This woman could crush mechs with just her body.
Even with their numbers, going up would only be suicide.