First annul the engagement, then sever ties with the empress; the empress reigns supreme.

"Wait." Murong Yuan, who had been silent until now, suddenly took two steps forward and blocked Bai Ze's path. Murong Yuan asked Bai Ze directly with a stern face, "Who did you just call a demoness?"

Bai Ze, being simple-minded and foolish, didn't think much of it and was inexplicably annoyed by Murong Yuan. He raised his chin and replied, "Of course it's Su Li. She does all sorts of evil things while following Qing Yanzi. What else could she be but a demoness?"

Murong Yuan caught a glimpse of Su Li out of the corner of his eye and found that Su Li was still standing quietly, showing no reaction to the title of "demoness," as if she had long been numb to it.

Thinking this, a chilling glint flashed in Murong Yuan's eyes, and he raised his hand to punch Bai Ze.

Bai Ze hadn't expected Murong Yuan to attack so suddenly. When he was hit, his head tilted back due to inertia, and when he looked up again, blood was streaming from his nose. He touched it with his hand and found it covered in blood.

"Are you out of your mind?" Bai Ze flicked his hand, wiping away the blood, his eyes wide open, glaring fiercely at Murong Yuan as if he wanted to fight him to the death.

Murong Yuan grew up under the care of his stepmother. Later, with the help of Mu Lingye, he personally killed his stepmother and destroyed the entire Murong family. Then, he followed Mu Lingye back to the Sheng Kingdom and helped Mu Lingye expand his business empire.

He had seen more storms than Bai Ze had eaten salt. How could Bai Ze, a greenhorn who had just come from the small island, be a match for Murong Yuan?

Murong Yuan didn't take Bai Ze seriously. He raised his head and puffed out his chest, approaching Bai Ze step by step: "Apologize, and don't call Miss Ning Er those two words again, or I'll throw you into the sea to feed the fish."

Murong Yuan's aura was too strong. Even though Bai Ze didn't want to, he was forced to retreat uncontrollably, and he even fell to the ground because he wasn't paying attention to his footing.

But he still refused to apologize.

Bai Ze retorted defiantly, "Su Li followed Qing Yanzi to capture poisonous snakes and concoct Gu poisons to harm innocent people. What else could she be but a demoness? Even if you kill me, you can't change that fact."

Upon hearing the word "demoness" again, a fierce glint flashed in Murong Yuan's eyes. Without another word, he drew his sword from his waist with a "clang" and pointed it at Bai Ze. At the crucial moment, Jiao Niang stood in front of Bai Ze to protect him.

"Young Master Murong, please don't! We were invited to take up positions at the Imperial Hospital. If Bai Ze dies like this, you won't be able to explain it to Young Master Mu."

"Bai Ze, apologize to Su Li immediately. Su Li was forced to kill someone by Qing Yanzi. She is innocent."

Bai Ze stubbornly raised his head and retorted defiantly, "Being forced to kill is still killing, how can you say it's innocent?"

"Stop talking." Jiao Niang whispered, looking at Su Li: "Su Li, please persuade Young Master Murong. Bai Ze grew up with you."

Su Li swayed over, glanced indifferently at the kind and innocent Jiao Niang, pointed at Bai Ze and said coldly, "Then you help me ask him if he admits that he grew up with me."

Bai Ze immediately turned his head away.

Su Li gave a self-deprecating laugh and looked at Murong Yuan, whose long sword was still pointing at Jiao Niang: "Let him call me that. I am a demoness after all. It is indeed quite domineering to not even let people say the truth."

After saying that, he didn't stop walking, as if he didn't care about anything, and went straight into the cabin and back to his room.

Gu Junxi and Mu Lingye came out after hearing the news. After learning what had happened, Mu Lingye pulled the sword out of Bai Ze's hand.

The crime is not punishable by death, but a warning should still be given first.

Gu Junxi, protective of her own, stared seriously at Bai Ze and formally announced Su Li's identity to the young ladies of the Li Huo Clan.

“I don’t care what Su Li did in the past, that’s all in the past. Now Su Li’s name is Ning Su Li, the second young lady of the Ningyuan Marquis’s mansion. Her mother is the Ningyuan Marquis, and she will be the Ningyuan Marquis in the future. As for me, Gu Junxi, I am the current Empress and Ning Su Li’s older sister.”

"From now on, if anyone dares to disrespect her again, they will be making an enemy of the entire Ningyuan Marquis's Mansion and me. I and the Ningyuan Marquis's Mansion will never let them off lightly."

The Li Huo clan members truly never imagined that Su Li, who had been orphaned and abused at will by Qing Yanzi, would have such a powerful background. There are always people more capable than you, and the Li Huo clan members present were all outstanding young people in the clan, so they naturally understood this principle.

Neither the Ningyuan Marquis's Mansion nor the Empress are entities that the Lihuo clan can afford to offend. If they are not careful, they may bring trouble to the clan.

The Li Huo clan members all changed their expressions. A male and a female Li Huo clan member exchanged a glance, stepped forward, knelt down and kowtowed to Gu Junxi, and then pulled the stubborn Bai Ze to kowtow as well.

"Your Majesty the Empress is right to reprimand us. We just didn't change our mindset for a moment. From now on, we will respect Miss Ning, and Bai Ze will also respect her. What kind of witch is she? She died along with Qingyanzi long ago."

Fortunately, not all the people sent by the Li Huo Clan were simpletons. People like Bai Ze, who are single-minded, would not survive long in a place like the Imperial Hospital, where there is no shortage of power struggles.

Bai Ze was pulled up by his companions from the Li Huo Clan, but Jiao Niang remained standing there, stunned and lost in her own world, not yet reacting.

The reversal of Su Li's identity was a huge blow to her.

How could Su Li, who grew up without parents and was treated like a dog by Qing Yanzi, possibly have such a powerful background? Not only was she the second young lady of the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion, but she also had an older sister who was the Empress.

She originally thought that her status as the Holy Maiden of the Fire Clan was high enough, but now it seems that the status of a Holy Maiden is nothing compared to Su Li.

Jiao Niang felt that her mind had been struck, so much so that when the other members of the Li Huo clan pulled her away, she was still in a daze.

Murong Yuan sheathed his sword and followed Su Li to her room. Su Li's door was not closed tightly, and Murong Yuan was afraid of being turned away again, so he did not knock and pushed the door open and went in.

"What are you doing in here?" Su Li's martial arts skills had disappeared, but her keen senses, something ingrained in her bones, had not been lost. She turned around and happened to meet Murong Yuan's figure as he entered: "Young Master Murong, you just casually enter a woman's room like this. Aren't you afraid that people will say you are indecent if they find out?"

"Then can you scream?" Murong Yuan continued to walk in, casually closing the door behind him. He stood by the bed, looking down at Su Li, who was lying on her side.

"Of course it will. Anyway, I'm a vixen, and I have no reputation, so I'm not afraid of being pointed at. But it's different for Young Master Murong Yuan. If his reputation for barging into women's boudoirs gets out, I'm afraid all those who admire you will be jealous." Su Li chuckled, her eyes filled with the determination to infuriate Murong Yuan.

Without any warning, Murong Yuan suddenly extended an index finger and pressed it against Su Li's lips.

My fingers were icy cold; the chill seemed to seep into my heart through my lips, causing my calm heart to pound violently, and I felt so weak that even my limbs felt powerless.

With her lips pressed down, she couldn't even speak, and could only blink and question Murong Yuan about what he was going to do.

Murong Yuan's voice was gentle, and his expression was serious, as if he were teaching a three-year-old child to establish healthy values: "You are not a witch. The things you did before were all forced upon you by Qingyanzi, not from your own heart."

"Others may hurt you or misunderstand you, but you cannot give up on yourself. If it weren't for you, Qingmiao and Qingyan would have died long ago. If you hadn't been reluctant to hurt Gu Junxi and Lord Ninghou, you would have had a hundred chances to kill them back then. So you are really good."

"So when others insult you, don't just accept it. You should fight back. If fighting back doesn't work, tell me, and I'll take my sword and kill them all."

Su Li's eyes widened, her heart, riddled with wounds, seemed to be quietly being repaired and healed. However, she still couldn't help but slap away Murong Yuan's finger that was pressed against his lips: "You are an important official of the court. You keep talking about killing people. Aren't you afraid of being impeached by the censors?"

Murong Yuan didn't care. He took Su Li's hand and placed it on his chest: "Impeach me if you want. I'm not a good person. You probably don't know that my stepmother died at my hands, and my father is afraid of me and calls me a beast. So Su Li, even if you're not a good person, we're still a match made in heaven."

Hearing "a match made in heaven" from Murong Yuan's mouth, Su Li's suppressed and silent heart began to pound wildly.

Su Li grew up wildly with Qing Yanzi, unlike the well-bred ladies who always adhered to rules and regulations.

She always does whatever she wants, without considering the consequences.

She pursed her lips, and before Murong Yuan could react, she pulled him over and pressed him onto the bed. Then, she sat on him naturally and kissed his lips fiercely.

The girl's lips were soft and fragrant. Murong Yuan's fox-like eyes were momentarily stunned, then he was overjoyed as if he had been hit by a huge pie.

The girl I like has already taken the initiative. If I were to hesitate and drag my feet, I would be a real coward. Anyway, I've already made up my mind to marry no one but her. What's wrong with doing what I'll do later in advance?

Murong Yuan's eyes flashed, and with a sudden exertion of force, he carefully switched positions with Su Li, pinning her down and launching a frenzied attack.

Su Li was not willing to admit defeat and launched a counterattack.

Back and forth they went, making a lot of noise in the room; anyone who didn't know better would think they were fighting.

Gu Junxi and Mu Lingye were drawn over, fearing that Su Li might seriously injure Murong Yuan. After all, although Murong Yuan knew martial arts, he would never lay a hand on Su Li; he would only stand there and take the beating.

Gu Junxi had just raised her hand, but before she could knock, a woman's soft moan came from inside the room.

Having been through similar experiences, they could easily tell the reason behind that soft moan. Gu Junxi's raised hand awkwardly froze in place.

"This kid is making pretty fast progress." Mu Lingye smiled and gently patted Gu Junxi's shoulder.

Thinking that no one would be competing with him for his wife now, he thought that Murong Yuan was smart enough not to deduct his salary as promised.

Gu Junxi turned her head and glared at Mu Lingye with dissatisfaction: "What are you laughing at? Murong Yuan is too unreliable. He's not even married yet."

My own little sister has only been close to her for a short time, and she's already being lured away. Anyone would be happy in this situation.

It's like your own cabbage being eaten by a pig.

Mu Lingye smiled even after being scolded, and continued to hug Gu Junxi, coaxing her softly, "Axi, let's go back to our own rooms first, so that Su Li won't feel awkward knowing we've been here."

Before Gu Junxi could respond, Jiao Niang, who had been enjoying the wind on the deck for most of the day, decided to come and apologize to Su Li in person. Unexpectedly, she saw Gu Junxi and Mu Lingye.

After a moment of surprise, she lowered her gaze and stepped forward to bow.

Gu Junxi has already revealed her identity as the Empress, so it is obvious that the person standing next to the Empress can only be the Emperor.

I never imagined the Emperor could be so handsome; the older sister and younger sister are both so lucky.

This was the first time Jiao Niang had felt envious of others since leaving the island.

Back on the island, she was a saint, the most precious person in the entire tribe from then on, and others would only envy her.

The beautiful woman fluttered her eyelashes, her fingers curled to conceal her emotions, and she opened her mouth: "This humble subject greets Your Majesty and Empress..."

"Shh!" Gu Junxi placed her finger lightly to her lips, making a shushing gesture.