"Your majesty Lian and General Xiang have arrived", the empress's advisor said. "Let them in", the empress said coldly. She knew how much Lian feared her.
What she didn't know was that Lian was no longer the same as before. Lian and General Xiang bowed and greeted the empress. The empress was shocked to see the beautiful hanfu worn by Lian.
"Lian!! didn't I forbid you from wearing such clothes!", Empress Bai Zhao screamed. Lian raised his head and the Empress was shocked to see those cold eyes and expressionless face.
"If I remember correctly the empress told me not to wear clothes that reveal too much skin... and in this hanfu one can only see my hands and nothing else", Lian replied without any emotion.
"How dare you talk back at me!!", the Empress couldn't help but stand up from her seat. "Empress I was only replying to the previous accusation you made on me", Lian then smiled innocently.
"Empress with all due respect I would like to excuse myself if this was all you had to say", Lian was eager to run away from this. "Obnosious!! Who said I was done with you, HUH!!", Empress Bai Zhao walked to Lian's side.
"Now tell me, what were you doing in the forbidden forest?", The Empress made an evil smile. "I went in search of herbs", Lian replied with no emotions.
"Herbs? You?, As far as I remember you don't even know how to fight so how were you gonna defend yourself incase you're attacked by a wild beast?", something was brewing in the empress's mind and Lian could see it.
"Well then, I guess I'm lucky I came back in one piece", Lian smiled making the empress angry. "Well... you know that I can punish you for going that deep in the forest and even crossing our boarders without permission", The empress said.
Now how did she know', Lian thought. "I don't mind you punishing me", "If you are gonna punish me then do it as this whole talk is just a waste of time, don't you think so your majesty?"
Lian knew what he was doing. As soon as his words fell two loud slaps were heard across the room. The Empress thought Lian would cry and beg for forgiveness but the complete opposite happened.
"If this is all the punishment then I would like to excuse the General and myself", with that Lian left with the general. "That bitch!! How dare he!!", Empress Bai Zhao screamed.
Lian's cheeks were tainted red due to the slap so he went to the physician to prepare medicine which will reduce the swelling. "General what happened to him?", Hua Tian who accompanied the two asked.
"He got slapped by the empress", General Xiang said coldly. "He what.... didn't he cry and beg like he always did?", Hua Tian was shocked. "He didn't do anything instead he withstood those slaps", this shocked Hua Tian more.
"He changed... a lot, he even made the empress so angry she couldn't say a thing", General Xiang said in an amused tone. "General I am done... so I'll go back first and thank you for helping me out", Lian said with a smile and waved Hua Tian goodbye.
Upon arriving Lian quickly went to the dining table. "Sister Yiyi did you eat yet?", "No, I was waiting for you to come first", Jing Yi replied. "Then come and eat with me, it's always boring that I have to eat my meals alone", Lian looked pitiful.
Unable to resist his pleading face Jing Yi gave in and sat next to Lian and ate her meal. "Excuse me, please prepare a bath for me", hearing this Jing Yi was about to stand up but was stopped halfway.
"Sister Jing Yi where are you going? You're not done with your meal yet", Lian held Jing Yi hand as he said this. "But Li Li you said to prepare a bath for you", Jing Yi replied.
"Sisterrrrrr, not you, I was telling her", Lian pointed at a nearby maid who as soon as she heard this quickly went to prepare the bath. "Thank you by the way", Lian smiled.
"Thank you for what exactly?", Jing Yi looked confused. "Thank you for calling me "Li Li", only then did Jing Yi get what was happening. "I regard you as my younger brother now, so I will always protect you okay", Jing Yi said in a sweet tone.
"Same here", Lian replied with a sheepish smile. The two soon finished their dinner and Jing Yi packed the table while Lian went to take a bath. After the bath Lian bid Jing Yi bye and went to sleep.
Before sleeping he applied medicine to his now pink cheeks. It seems Jing Yi already knew what happened so she did not ask why he had those pink cheeks.