On the back hill, all the trees flourish, their lush foliage intertwined, their roots and leaves forming a vast network. Beneath the swaying shadows...

The waterfall plunges down, crashing against the rock face and splashing out bursts of water before settling into a huge pool and finally returning to calm.

On the shallow shore of the pool, Helian Nie stood alone, his tall figure completely soaked by the waterfall.

Beneath the crimson undergarment, one could vaguely see a well-defined figure, and a cascade of black hair that reached her waist.

The icy waterfall water reached his handsome, devilish face, flowing over his sharply defined jawline, alluring Adam's apple, and captivating abs.

"emperor."

Beside the waterfall rocks, Changying knelt on one knee and spoke respectfully to Helian Nie below the waterfall.

“This subordinate has failed in his duty. Today, the Lord of Yue Lou approached the little princess and gave her a peach blossom. Fortunately, the little princess is unharmed. I beg Your Majesty to punish me. I deserve to die ten thousand times.”

Changying's heart still trembles when he recalls the news his subordinates relayed to him.

If the Lord of the Moon Pavilion approached the little princess with ulterior motives, and something were to happen to the little princess, then he would truly be guilty of a thousand deaths.

Thankfully, the little princess is alright.

The eagle's voice, word for word, entered the waterfall. Helian Nie's handsome face, wet by the waterfall's spray, suddenly snapped open his long, narrow, peach-blossom eyes.

With her peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed, a tyrannical and terrifying aura emanated from them. Suddenly, her thin, crimson lips slowly curved into a smile.

A low, sinister laugh escaped his throat, inexplicably sending a chill down one's spine and making one gasp for breath. His thin lips parted slightly, seemingly casually.

"It seems that my warning was not enough."

Si Beitaohua, you dare to approach that ugly thing? You've got some nerve. Looks like you're living too comfortably.

Changying lowered his head even further. As the leader of the Imperial Guard, it was his dereliction of duty that his men failed to protect the little princess.

"Besides the music hall, give all the other strongholds of the Moon Pavilion to me. It's just right, my national treasury has been rather empty lately."

Helian Nie leaped out from under the waterfall and stood a few steps away from where the eagle had been positioned, wearing a crimson undergarment.

Visibly, it gradually dried out, leaving only waist-length black hair with specks of water dripping down.

"yes."

Changying remained kneeling on one knee, respectfully responding, but did not stop immediately, instead quietly awaiting punishment.

"As for you, accept your punishment yourselves. If it happens again, you'll have to apologize with your heads."

Helian Nie straightened his crimson dragon robe with his long, well-defined fingers. As the hem of the robe fluttered in the wind, his sinister voice faded into the distance.

"Your subordinate obeys and thanks Your Majesty for sparing my life."

Changying respectfully kowtowed in the direction Helian Nie had left, and only after Helian Nie had left did he raise his knees, stand up, and turn to head in another direction behind the mountain.

Besides the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes, the back mountain was also the training camp for these royal guards and secret agents. The grueling training there was the lightest punishment.

If you can't protect your master, you're derelict in your duty. Dereliction of duty means you're incompetent. If you're incompetent, you should be sent back to school for retraining.

The heaviest punishment was to pay with one's life; these were the only two punishments, and the decision rested entirely with the emperor.

Meanwhile, a certain villainous tyrant was leaping towards Yongqing Palace. After all, the ugly thing was his offspring, and he wanted to see if the ugly thing was dead.

It's definitely not out of concern, cough!