The Birth of a Villainess

Days passed quite peacefully in the  residence after Qu Xing Xu's return. Every servant and maid had already known long before that they must never intrude into the main courtyard unless they were ordered to or called to go there by their masters. However, there were still some maids who were bolder than the one before and desired to seduce their masters.

However, before they could even step into the main courtyard, Gu Yan would pick them all up from the ground as if they were unwanted roots he had to pull out to not damage the rice field he had worked hard to grow. All these maids ended up disappearing all of a sudden and never returned.

Those who knew these maids and learned of their disappearance never spoke or mentioned their names. They were afraid that just by saying their names would make them turn into an accomplice.

Lin Xiaofei listened to her maids' report about what they had witnessed with fervor. She placed her elbow against the wooden desk and raised her brows to her hairline.

Gu Yan's hard work should be rewarded by Qu Xing Xu. Lin Xiaofei didn't have any thoughts about those girls who were taken and completely disappeared. One must covet what another owns. Who made their hands so itchy that they wanted to take what was hers?

On the contrary, these girls should be thankful for having a quicker death. If they had gotten closer into the courtyard and encountered Lin Xiaofei, their lives would have ended with them writhing on the floor.

"Milady, the Duke is going to the Imperial Palace today to meet the Emperor. Will His Majesty bestow treasures and jewels to His Lordship?" Bai Lu was kneeling behind Lin Xiaofei as she combed her dark long hair. The strands of their mistress's hair were even more precious and bright than a spider's web.

Lin Xiaofei recalled Emperor Yun's face and frowned. The emperor wouldn't kindly give treasures to the man who messed up his plans. Rather than gifting Qu Xing Xu with precious gems and golds that he didn't lack, Emperor Yun would wish that he could kill him instead.

She knew Emperor Yun's temperament wasn't so kind towards the people he couldn't get rid of. Even his children were obstacles in his eyes despite his desire to spread his bloodline throughout the entire empire if only there weren't any restrictions to select girls who could enter the imperial palace. Towards Qu Xing Xu, whom he loathed only because he was more outstanding, younger, and stronger than him, Emperor Yun would do anything just to get rid of him.

Of course, Lin Xiaofei knew that Qu Xing Xu couldn't be killed so easily, not when he's not a human to begin with. However, Emperor Yun didn't know that and Lin Xiaofei was worried that he would play tricks when Qu Xing Xu wasn't looking.

Even though the emperor's trick wouldn't harm Qu Xing Xu, just the thought of someone hurting her man seemed to burn an ire inside of her. Was this because of the Yang essence that he had given to her? Lin Xiaofei felt strange when she thought of feeling this way when she had never been obsessed about his situation before.

Seeing the frown on her face, Bai Lu, her maid, stopped combing her hair and said, "Milady mustn't worry too much. Milord will handle everything with no problem."

Lin Xiaofei moved her eyes to look at her maid and wondered where she got this kind of confidence towards the duke.

Su Tang also comforted their mistress and said, "That's right. Milord is the famous God of War. He has won too many wars to count that nobody will be able to think that they're above!"

Lin Xiaofei sighed when she heard her maids and looked outside the window. Her maids were far too innocent to think deeply into the situation. The sudden proposal of truce with the Chu Empire was already suspicious enough since she suspected Emperor Yun hadn't come up with this place. His arrogance and violent nature would never allow him to make peace with another empire.

Just what was going on? Where did things slip out of her hands?

Suddenly, there was a knock from the front door and a dark silhouette was standing there. Lin Xiaofei glanced at her maids, who immediately understood and stood up to open the door.

Instead of seeing Qu Xing Xu, it was Erkin who entered the room.

Seeing him there, Lin Xiaofei waved her hand to dismiss her maids, who quickly did as they were ordered. "Are you leaving for the Rei Empire tonight?"

Erkin had announced his plans to return to his empire since he had nothing else to do anymore. He was a great addition to her plans to secure enough food and supplies for Qu Xing Xu and the entire Henzhou city.

Erkin had a darker skin than most and his light golden eyes were remarkable, making him more attractive. He unceremoniously dragged a cushion to the wall next to Lin Xiaofei and sat down.

He looked at her for a second and opened his mouth, "My return will be delayed. I don't know what's going on, but I have a feeling that things aren't going well in this empire." When he received a look from her, he crossed his arms in front of his chest, "Don't say anymore. As you are my master and also my benefactor, I cannot let you be when I can sense that this entire empire is full of danger."

Lin Xiaofei frowned at his words. "You only came into my room for no more than a minute, but you're insulting me already."

Erkin blinked and sighed, "I'm not saying you're weak and needed protection. I know that because you would never suggest that I become a tyrant and take my own empire if you're weak and naive. What I'm saying is… It's actually hard to explain it, but us people of Erkin, especially the royal bloodline can sense bloodlust. And at this moment, the entire Zheng Empire is enveloped with thick bloodlust."

This time, Ran Xueyi no longer messed with him and looked him in the eyes. She knew he wouldn't lie to her, but she had to make sure that he wasn't messing with her just so she could allow him to stay longer in the empire. However, the young tyrant sitting against the wall stared at her without any of his usual playful character. He just sat there staring back into her eyes filled with undisguised concern for her.

"You weren't around in the residence the past few days, Erkin. Have you been going outside to look into this… to what you're sensing?" Erkin didn't need her permission to leave the residence, however, him leaving and returning to the residence was often reported back to her.

Although Lin Xiaofei had only guessed it, Erkin still nodded his head. "You must have already known that the beasts in the borders and forests never enter the Rei empire due to our long history. People even believed that our ancestry came from the savages and beasts that lurked the borders before the empire was officially established centuries ago.

That rumor wasn't only just a rumor. There are some truths in it. However, only the royal bloodline has a strong sense of danger and bloodlust more than the normal citizens of the empire," Erkin told her without holding any secrets from her. In order to make her completely believe his words, he needed to spill a part of the secrets of the Rei's Royal Family. If it will make her believe in him, he didn't care if he had to sacrifice his secrets to do that.

Lin Xiaofei became silent when he was done telling her his secret. It was a huge secret that could shake the whole Four Kingdoms. Of course, there was already a rumor going around that the Rei Empire's ancestry came from the beasts and savages in the borders, but it was still shocking to know that it was actually real. Besides, the Four Kingdoms will never believe it only because they are afraid of confirming the impossible. The moment this truth was spread, the Rei Empire's mightiness and terrible history will only make the other kingdoms distance themselves from them because of fear.

The savages and beasts in the borders and the forests were far too monstrous to even be defeated by humans. Yet, the Rei Empire's ancestors were these savages and beasts that no one wanted to even come close to!

After a long silence, Erkin continued, "I didn't mean to hide anything from you. It's just that this secret is a bit too private that even if you're my master and life savior, I mustn't let you know about it."

"Because you think it would drive me away from you?" Lin Xiaofei was even more curious about this than the ancestry or history of the Rei Empire. She had already died once and got herself into another person's body. She even got married to a fox-demon with nine tails. What was shocking about being descendants of beasts?

Erkin slowly nodded.