Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 535: The Empress’s Beauty, Like a Fairy Descending to Earth, Dazzles the Eyes (4)

"Please rise, Miss Xiahou, and dispense with formalities," Feng Xi’s mood finally improved somewhat, and he beckoned her to rise with a smile on his face.

Seeing that Feng Xi was not angry, Wenzhen let out a sigh of relief and slowly stood up. However, Mrs. Cao Ruan was relentless. Pushing aside the frail Wenzhen, she advanced, pointed at Feng Xi, and glared with her drooping eyelids: "Feng Xi, what is the meaning of this? Allowing some unknown person to enter this back garden so casually? We are all people of status and reputation. Today, this little vixen stepped on my shoes, and that’s it? Let me tell you, there’s no way that’s the end of this. Either she kneels down and apologizes to me and compensates me with a pair of shoes or she rolls out of here, or else, hmph, this lady will not... "

"Not do what, Madam County Magistrate?" A cool and pleasant voice came from behind the crowd.

Everyone turned around and saw a woman dressed in an ice-blue gown adorned with large peony flowers, a dazzling phoenix hairpin in her hair, its tassels swaying back and forth as she moved, with a faint smile on her face and a slight curl to her lips as she walked over with delicate steps.

Aside from the few who recognized Feng Xuxu, none of the others knew who this person was. After regaining her composure, Mrs. Cao Ruan eyed the newcomer with venomous intent. The sight of her expensive clothes and refined appearance, and most importantly her enchanting beauty, reminded her of the mistresses and concubines in her own family’s backyard. With scorn in her eyes, she sneered, "Hmph, of course, it means punishing her, locking her up in the dungeon, never to come out in her life." After pausing, she slowly approached Feng Xuxu, gave her a once-over, and then laughed mockingly: "You fox spirit, not staying in your den and daring to strut around in broad daylight. Heaven hasn’t taken you yet." Turning to Feng Xi, she said, "Feng Xi, your back garden is really, it’s almost like a brothel here, anyone can come in. If I had known you were managing such riffraff, I wouldn’t have come at all. When I go back, I’ll have to bathe several times, otherwise, I’ll reek of their scent." As if she caught a whiff of something foul, she waved her embroidered handkerchief and rolled her eyes towards the sky.

"Impudence!" Mei Lenglei stepped forward and ’slap’ a heavy blow landed on Mrs. Cao Ruan’s face, quickly leaving the imprint of five fingers.

Feng Xuxu waved her hand and turned to look at her elder brother: "You’ve arrived just in time, brother, go and meet the bridal procession. I have things under control here."

"No way, I’d like to see who dares to touch me." Mrs. Cao Ruan on the ground regained her senses, quickly stood up, and blocked Feng Xi’s path: "You little hussy actually dared to hit me. I won’t be satisfied until I’ve skinned you alive." She rudely rolled up her sleeves and lunged to tear at Feng Xuxu.

At that moment, a wine cup ’floated over’ from afar, landing not too heavily on her eye. Her right eye instantly turned black and blue, as a silhouette flashed past and lightly landed beside Feng Xuxu, looking down at the still dazed person on the ground with disdain.

It was then that Xiahou Yuan, Nangong Xiu, Jueqing, and others who had been watching the commotion all knelt down and shouted in unison: "Long live the Emperor, auspiciousness to the Empress."

Suddenly, there was silence in the back garden. As everyone came to their senses, they too knelt on the ground.

Feng Xuxu chuckled softly and looked up at someone, saying, "Your Majesty, your authority is indeed unparalleled. I’ve been here for half a day, and no one has recognized me as the Empress. I hope for Your Majesty’s continued favor in the future." As she spoke, she buried her head deeply into his arm, seeking comfort.

Some of those watching the spectacle on the ground instantly turned pale, their foreheads beginning to glisten with sweat, some on the verge of tears. Jueqing nearly burst into laughter, giving his cousin a mental thumbs-up for her ruthless tactic.

Feng Xi’s lips curved upward, and his mood, which had been downtrodden, vanished instantly.

Mrs. Cao Ruan, who had just come to her senses, heard the words ’the Emperor’ and ’the Empress,’ and in an instant, her eyes rolled back, and she completely fainted.

Dugu Chen twitched the corner of his mouth and glanced sideways at certain people on the ground. He opened his thin lips and said coldly, "Then pluck out both of their eyes. Since they do not recognize, from now on they do not need to see people anymore."

Feng Xuxu felt her face flush as she heard his words, her lips curving into a smile, shoulders shaking slightly. It was good that her head was buried in his arms; otherwise, her laughter would have been seen by others and marred the ’noble, elegant, and dignified’ image of the Empress.

The Emperor’s light words terrifed the people on the ground, for they all knew Dugu Chen’s whimsical nature that paid no heed to occasion or timing: "The Emperor’s mercy, please!" 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"The commoners beg the Emperor’s mercy..."

"Rest assured, I don’t want your lives, only a pair of eyes, that’s all. Tian Yi’s skill with the blade is excellent, and I believe you will be done before you even have time to feel the pain," he said, holding the person who was laughing softly in his arms, a faint smile gracing his handsome face, but to those few people on the ground, his smile resembled a ghastly grin.

Xiahou Wenzhen, seeing that the eyes of the Emperor were fixed on the Empress in his arms, did not wish to have her own eyes taken. Observing Tian Yi approaching with a knife, she had a quick thought and crawled forward a few steps, careful not to come too close or dare to grab the Empress’s hem, stopping two meters away and knocking her head to the ground earnestly: "Empress, please show mercy. As commoners, we were dazzled by the Empress’s beauty, as if a fairy had descended, and momentarily blinded, so..." she begged, hoping the Empress would spare their eyes.

"The commoners were indeed...stunned." Xiahou Yuan at that moment did not know what else to say and just added a sentence following his sister’s plea.

The rest of the people, though they felt the excuse was somewhat sycophantic, dared not contradict it. So, they all nodded in agreement, wanting to preserve their sight,