Zi Lingling nodded.
Although she did not fear Emperor Ye Moyuan, some rules still had to be followed.
It wasn't that she feared gossip, but that she feared trouble.
She waited for a full half an hour before Xue Lang walked out of the imperial study.
He came before Zi Lingling and said respectfully, "Patriarch Zi, thank you for waiting. His Majesty invites you in!"
Zi Lingling glanced at him with a half-smile, said nothing, and strode into the imperial study.
The moment she turned her back on Xue Lang, a cold glint flashed in her eyes.
"A show of dominance? Very well!"
Inside the imperial study, a man who bore seven-tenths resemblance to Ye Lingyuan sat at the head of the dragon-shaped desk, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, smiling amiably.
Though he was smiling, his expression held a hint of sinister darkness that made one profoundly uncomfortable.
Yet, this did not diminish his inherent imperial authority, cultivated through years of rule; rather, it added a layer of awe-inspiring presence.
Zi Lingling mused, "The imperial family's genes are truly powerful. My Ye Lingyuan is already considered a rare beauty, yet this Ye Moyuan is not much inferior to him."
Perhaps displeased by Zi Lingling's undisguised scrutiny, or perhaps by her failure to bow upon entering.
Ye Moyuan frowned, coughed lightly, and said, "You are the new patriarch of the Zi family?"
Zi Lingling smiled faintly and said, "Zi family patriarch Lingling greets His Majesty!"
She offered a shallow curtsy, a form of greeting.
As for kneeling and kowtowing, that was a grand gesture reserved for commoners.
But the strong had their dignity.
Moreover, Zi Lingling was the patriarch of the Zi family, one of the eight prominent clans, whose status was not inferior to that of a monarch.
Of course, she also detected the displeasure in Ye Moyuan's tone, but what did that have to do with her?
She herself had been kept waiting outside for half an hour.
"Indeed, peerless beauty. No wonder my son was jilted, yet still cannot forget you."
"It's also no wonder my brother, who usually avoids women as if they were venomous snakes, treats you with special consideration."
As Emperor, Ye Moyuan possessed a harem of three thousand beautiful women.
These three thousand consorts, with their diverse charms and distinct personalities, could all be considered stunning.
But compared to Zi Lingling, they were like mere waterfowl beside a swan.
Therefore, the moment Ye Moyuan first saw Zi Lingling, he was utterly captivated.
However, as an emperor, he was accustomed to concealing his emotions, so his reaction was not overt.
Thus, these two words of praise, while perhaps not from the depths of his heart, were not mere platitudes.
Zi Lingling smiled gracefully, "Your Majesty flatters me!"
"May I inquire as to the purpose of Your Majesty summoning Lingling to the palace?"
The light in Ye Moyuan's eyes converged, tinged with a hint of amusement.
"In truth, I have no other matter. I merely wished to see the Zi family patriarch whom the rumors have made so legendary!"
Zi Lingling rolled her eyes internally.
Merely to see?
And this warranted an imperial decree?
And this warranted such urgency?
Zi Lingling scoffed inwardly, but her outward demeanor was as pleasant as a spring breeze.
She walked to a nearby pillar, leaned against it lazily, and then said, "Has Your Majesty seen me now?"
Her casual posture suggested that the person seated before her was not a supreme ruler, but an old friend of many years.
Ye Moyuan's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but he said nothing, merely nodding. "Indeed, I have seen you. However, you are quite different from the rumors."
"Oh?"
Zi Lingling raised an eyebrow, but only let out a soft nasal sound.
Ye Moyuan smiled faintly, "Rumors describe the Zi family patriarch as a beauty of unparalleled charm, yet cold and heartless, prone to killing with a word."
"And then?"
Zi Lingling's voice was indifferent, as if the person being discussed was not herself.
Ye Moyuan said, "Yet upon meeting you today, I find the unparalleled beauty to be true, but cold and heartless may not be accurate. As for killing with a word... I, too, do not entirely agree."
Zi Lingling remained as placid as still water.
"Oh? It seems Your Majesty knows quite a bit about Lingling. You must have gathered considerable information about me, haven't you?"
Ye Moyuan smiled with composure, "It's just that I wonder how much of the information Your Majesty has about the Zi family patriarch is true, and how much is false?"
He did not deny the act of gathering information at all.
Denial would be useless anyway.
As a monarch, how could he not have his own spies and intelligence network?
In this environment of a three-way balance of power, yet fraught with intrigue, lacking an intelligence source meant being swallowed whole, leading to the ruin of the nation.
That the Ye family could maintain its rule over the Heavenly Revelation Kingdom was due to its own intelligence system; what was so strange about that?
Zi Lingling smiled wryly.
"Then what does Your Majesty think?"
Though her words were few, her stance was firm.
What you can investigate is your own capability, but attempting to extract information from me? I'm afraid you're mistaken.
Ye Moyuan's eyes flickered.
This Zi family patriarch was indeed unfathomable.
Her words were watertight, her actions retaliatory, making her exceptionally difficult to deal with.
Ye Moyuan even suspected that the person standing before him was not a twelve-year-old girl, but an ancient monster who had cultivated for centuries.
Otherwise, how could he have fought three rounds without gaining any advantage?
He had made Zi Lingling wait for half an hour, and upon entering, she had made him wait for her to bow.
He did not offer Zi Lingling a seat, so she leaned against a pillar in the study.
He probed with words, and Zi Lingling responded with unyielding calmness, effortlessly deflecting his questions.
How could a mere twelve-year-old girl possibly achieve this?
However, Ye Moyuan was, after all, a monarch. Regardless of his internal astonishment, his expression remained composed.
He smiled and said, "In my opinion, coldness and heartlessness depend on who it is directed towards. For example, regarding your maid, Patriarch Zi, you were indeed loyal and righteous, even willing to enter a life-and-death contract with Fairy Qingcheng for her sake."
"Also, Patriarch Zi treats your contracted little divine dragon well, being willing to defy the four great powers for its sake. If such a person can be called cold and heartless, then how many truly affectionate people are there in this world?"
Zi Lingling smiled faintly, "Your Majesty's insight is indeed keen."
Though her outward expression was serene, inwardly, she was experiencing a tempest.
Few people knew about her contract with the dragon.
Furthermore, strong individuals like Fu Liuyun, Li Luo, and Xiong Tai had been placed under a restriction by Ye Lingyuan, so they would never reveal this matter.
Xie Shenghua, who knew the inside story, had already been killed by her in the Misty Forest.
The only remaining person was a fleeing fatty – Nian Wuding, the deputy head of the Xianhe Mercenary Group.
Because she was later busy with the decisive battle between the Zi family and Jiujue Peak, she had forgotten about the Xianhe Mercenary Group.
It seemed she needed to make time to deal with the Xianhe Mercenary Group.
However, that Ye Moyuan had obtained this news indicated he was no simple figure.
Ye Moyuan had been meticulously observing Zi Lingling's reactions, but he was disappointed.