Chapter 41
A cool breeze was blowing, and the calls of cuckoos could be heard from time to time.
Mo Xiaoxin fell into deep thought as she listened to Leng Huai's even breathing.
She went back to sleep on her own floor, where the cold floor made her feel safer.
What exactly did Leng Huai mean by the duties of the Demon Queen during the day?
Could it be that they want her to offer herself to them?
But Leng Huai didn't intend to force her to serve him in bed.
Mo Xiaoxin tossed and turned, unable to decipher Leng Huai's meaning.
Mo Qiuxin lay beside Mo Xiaoxin; as a ghost, she didn't need to sleep.
Seeing Mo Xiaoxin struggling to sleep, her expression shifting between confusion and shyness, she immediately realized this woman was up to no good. She was furious: "Hey, what are you thinking? You don't actually believe Brother Leng is going to favor you, do you? Don't get your hopes up! How could Brother Leng like you? Even though you look just like me, he definitely won't like you. Just give up on that idea!"
Mo Xiaoxin rolled her eyes and whispered, "How can I sleep with you making so much noise? If you keep disturbing my sleep, I'm going to sleep next to Leng Huai right now and climb into his bed!"
Mo Qiuxin's face turned red with anger, but fearing that Mo Xiaoxin would actually do it, she quickly shut her mouth and slipped to the bedside to admire Leng Huai's handsome face.
Mo Xiaoxin fell asleep in a daze, and was pulled up by Leng Huai early the next morning.
"Didn't you say I didn't have to cook today?" She glanced at the still dark sky outside the window. What time was it?
"Being a Demon Queen isn't so easy. Get up and come with me to handle government affairs," Leng Huai urged coldly as he tidied up.
Mo Xiaoxin's eyes widened suddenly. "Go with him to handle government affairs!"
So that's what Leng Huai meant; he had misunderstood her.
With her mind free of distractions, she quickly crawled out of bed and turned her head to see the clothes Leng Huai had prepared for her hanging on the rack. It was a black robe made of the finest silk, which looked luxurious and dignified, making people involuntarily feel awe upon seeing it.
Then look at Leng Huai's black clothes; are they wearing matching outfits?
The servants were helping Leng Huai change his clothes. He glanced at Mo Xiaoxin, who was still standing there in a daze, and said, "What are you still standing there for? Get dressed!"
Mo Xiaoxin came to her senses and had the maids do her hair and makeup.
After the maids' fuss, Mo Xiaoxin looked at herself in the bronze mirror.
In stark contrast to her usual cute and lively demeanor, the woman before me had a solemn makeup, and the black and red floral decoration on her forehead accentuated her sharp and stern appearance.
"That's excellent," Leng Huai commented.
Mo Xiaoxin felt a little embarrassed by the sudden compliment. The formal makeup made her feel out of place for a moment.
Leng Huai had already walked out of the house at some point: "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and follow me!"
Mo Xiaoxin then picked up the large, heavy clothes and followed Leng Huai with a smug look on her face.
As soon as she entered the main hall, Mo Xiaoxin noticed that many eyes were fixed on her, and countless probing, questioning, and suspicious gazes were cast upon her as if she were being pricked by needles.
She lowered her eyelids, trying her best to make her behavior dignified and elegant.
The gazes directed at her, some friendly, some hostile, made her uneasy. Every move she made was being scrutinized under their watchful eyes; the slightest mistake would be noticed.
Leng Huai strode forward, exuding an innate kingly aura that sent chills down everyone's spines. Wherever he went, the demons knelt down, saying, "Welcome, Demon Lord!"
Leng Huai stepped onto the high platform symbolizing supreme power and sat on the enormous Demon King's throne.
Mo Xiaoxin stood to the side, bowing slightly, maintaining an elegant and humble posture. She secretly raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the demon ministers below the stage, before quickly withdrawing them and folding her hands in front of her.
At this moment, the hall was so quiet that only the sound of breathing could be heard, and Mo Xiaoxin could hear her own rapid heartbeat.
As soon as she entered the main hall, she could feel that the entire hall was filled with an exceptionally powerful demonic energy, which was formed by the convergence of numerous demonic energies.
Fortunately, she had awakened ice magic, which seemed to give her a natural resistance to these demonic energies, unlike before when getting close would cause her to feel a tearing sensation that would shatter her soul.
She noticed this as soon as she returned to the Demon Palace. Although the ice magic had inexplicably fallen into a dormant state within her body, its effects were still present.
The hall was packed with people, who began to report to Leng Huai on the recent situation in the Demon Realm. Mo Xiaoxin listened to the various things about the Demon Realm, and it wasn't as wonderful as she had imagined.
A minister said, "Your Majesty, during the previous great war, some remnants who refused to submit to you still harass the borders, intending to disrupt the order of the Demon Realm and create trouble for it. The people on the borders are suffering greatly. We beg Your Majesty to send people to eliminate these remnants as soon as possible and restore peace to the Demon Realm!"
Another powerful minister, who appeared to be of high rank, said, "The four major families have too much market share, which has caused dissatisfaction among other merchants. They are causing trouble and protesting in the Demon Market. We request the Demon Lord to provide a solution."
Mo Xiaoxin was fine with the first two, but the words of the next minister made her more vigilant.
"My Lord Demon Lord, the Southern Demon Realm and the Northern Demon Realm have gone to war. The Southern Demon Realm suffered a crushing defeat, and the Demon Realm's marriage to the Southern Demon Realm's princess will likely attract their attention."
Mo Xiaoxin stared at the person who spoke. It was a middle-aged man with rat-like eyebrows, eyes, a pointed mouth, and a monkey-like face. He kept glancing at Mo Xiaoxin while speaking, and the meaning couldn't be clearer.
Mo Xiaoxin was immediately annoyed. If this was how they reacted today, what would these ministers say about her if she weren't here?
It feels bad to be talked about behind your back, and it feels even worse to be talked about to your face! But Mo Xiaoxin was not going to be defeated by these gossips. She looked at the minister, who was also looking at her.
The minister was surprised that Mo Xiaoxin dared to look him in the eye. He had long heard that the Demon Queen actually had no status and was sent to work in the woodshed all day. The Emperor also ignored her.
He met Mo Xiaoxin's angry gaze, his eyes filled with mockery.
Then, he glanced away and said respectfully to Leng Huai, "For the sake of the Demon Realm's safety, Your Majesty must come up with a solution as soon as possible!"
After saying this, the man stepped back, and the next minister continued.
After the ministers had finished speaking, Leng Huai slowly said, "Regarding what you have said, I would like to hear Minister Xue's opinion."
This Minister Xue is the same minister who just mentioned Mo Xiaoxin. His name is Xue Dahai, and his ancestors for three generations were all important ministers in the Demon Realm. He has been assisting Leng Huai since he ascended the throne and is the head of all the demon ministers, holding a high position and great power.
When Xue Dahai was called out, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that matters should be prioritized. We should deal with the external threats first, and we can put the internal threats aside for now and deal with them later."
The implication was all too clear; his words were aimed straight at Mo Xiaoxin's spine. He even dared to stare directly at Mo Xiaoxin, as if she were a wicked vixen who brought ruin to the country.
Leng Huai naturally saw Xue Dahai's hostility towards Mo Xiaoxin, and he knew that these ministers were very opposed to him marrying a princess from the demon realm.
He curled his lips slightly and said casually, "The demons causing trouble on the border are not worth worrying about. They are just some of my defeated enemies. They couldn't beat me back then, and now they just want to distract me. If I focus all my attention on them, wouldn't they succeed?"
"As for the matter of the four major families, it cannot be resolved in a short time. First, we need to appease the people and reduce taxes for merchants."
"As for what Minister Xue mentioned about the Northern Demon Realm..."
Leng Huai glanced at Xue Dahai, who nodded slightly in a respectful manner, but his eyes revealed a hint of disdain.
Leng Huai was well aware of this, and a hint of mockery appeared on his lips: "The Demon Realm's military strength is still formidable, not something that the Northern Demon Realm can threaten. Minister Xue's worries are unnecessary."
"Demon Lord, the Demon Realm has been forced into the conflict of the Monster Realm. You must make a decision now!" Xue Dahai persisted, speaking with unwavering conviction.
"What ruling? Are you suggesting I divorce my Demon Queen?" Leng Huai raised his voice, his tone slightly angry.
Seeing the Demon Lord's anger, everyone was so frightened that they all turned pale, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed, saying, "Demon Lord, please calm your anger!"
Xue Dahai knelt down as well, though he was making the kowtowing gesture, he had his own plans in mind. In the past, he had repeatedly hinted to Leng Huai that Leng Huai should marry his daughter, but Leng Huai always pretended to be stupid and said he wouldn't get married. But then he turned around and married a woman from the demon realm. Wasn't this a slap in the face to him?
Now that the demon realm is in chaos, he finally has an opportunity to make Leng Huai divorce this woman.
He said, "Demon Lord, I..."
Xue Dahai wanted to say something more, but Leng Huaihua cut him off: "I'm a little tired today, let's talk about it tomorrow."
Leng Huai looked very impatient; if he said anything more, Leng Huai would probably really get angry.
Xue Dahai frowned, suppressing his dissatisfaction and anger. However, since he couldn't vent his anger in the main hall, he had no choice but to swallow it.
"yes."
The demon ministers all withdrew.
After everyone in the main hall had left, Mo Xiaoxin curled her lip and said, "This minister looks loyal on the surface, but he has a lot of wicked thoughts. What kind of loyal minister is he? I think he's more like a treacherous minister!"
Leng Huai glanced at Mo Xiaoxin: "What do you mean?"
"He holds a high position and wields great power, yet all he wants to do is kick me out. I was personally married by you, and he, a mere minister, dares to embarrass you in front of so many people. Isn't that disrespecting you, the Demon Lord?"
Mo Xiaoxin's words made Leng Huai's eyes light up. He didn't interrupt and listened quietly to Mo Xiaoxin's next analysis.
"Although I don't know his purpose, I know he has ill intentions. He's having you train troops to deal with the forces of the Northern Demon Realm. If you focus on the Northern Demon Realm, you won't notice the border issues. If you care more about the border, then the Northern Demon Realm will be sidelined. If I'm not mistaken, he might have helped with the unrest on the border, and he might also have connections in the Northern Demon Realm. He's just waiting for you to jump into the fire!"
Seeing Mo Xiaoxin's logical analysis, Leng Huai's eyes revealed admiration, and he unusually smiled: "I didn't expect you to be so smart."
Mo Xiaoxin opened her eyes wide, seeking confirmation: "I guessed right, didn't I?"
Leng Huai nodded slightly.
Mo Xiaoxin was secretly pleased, her eyes crinkling with pride: "I didn't expect that you, as the Demon Lord, wouldn't have a very comfortable life in this Demon Realm. You spend your days either dealing with these treacherous officials or fighting wits with those unscrupulous merchants outside."
Hearing Mo Xiaoxin's words, Leng Huai showed a slight ripple.
This was the first time in so many years that he had heard someone say he was unhappy with his life.
Yes, the position of Demon Lord is not so easy to hold.
He had to be careful at all times, wary of everyone. He had to be vigilant against anyone who approached him, whether with good intentions or ulterior motives.
Recalling the events of his childhood, his brows furrowed again.
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