A vicious female is trapped in a beastly hell.

Chapter 385 Encountering the Fox King
Xue Yinzhou originally wanted to go with her, but he was too conspicuous. Although he concealed his aura, everyone could tell that he was no ordinary person and was a dangerous individual. Many people speculated about his background.

Several pairs of eyes in the hall were watching him. If he went with her, her movements would be restricted.

Xue Yinzhou had no choice but to suppress his worry and whispered, "Take care of yourself, don't go too far, and remember to come back in half an hour."

"Okay, don't worry, I can protect myself. I'm just taking a stroll around the area to get some fresh air." Shen Tang nodded in agreement, then casually made up an excuse to tell the shopkeeper and left the side hall.

The guards at the door didn't stop her; after all, she was just an insignificant traveling merchant, and nobody cared about her.

After arriving outside the palace, Shen Tang found a secluded corner, transformed into her true form, and nimbly climbed onto the wall to admire the scenery of the palace.

Along the palace road, attendants would occasionally pass by.

Shen Tang listened to their conversation, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

When she heard the news about the emperor, she paused and listened intently.

"Alas, I heard that His Majesty flew into a rage again this morning, and Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Rites was almost beheaded..."

"Ah? What happened?"

"How could we servants know what's going on in the court? I guess he said something that didn't suit His Majesty's tastes and angered him."

"Judging by the time, the morning court session has ended. His Majesty is probably in the back garden now. He goes there to stroll when he's in a bad mood."

"Oh, you little rascal, you're quite good at figuring out His Majesty's thoughts, but it's a pity you're male, so it's not very useful."

"Ahem, don't talk nonsense here. His Majesty is a noble pure-blooded nine-tailed celestial fox. It is my honor to serve His Majesty."

"Forget about honor, keeping your head is the most important thing," another orc laughed and cursed. "Let's go, let's turn the corner. We mustn't go that way, or we'll be in big trouble."

"..."

The conversation below gradually faded away.

Shen Tang nestled on the wall, remaining silent for a long time before turning and heading towards the Imperial Garden.

Spring comes earlier in the Yiyuan Empire; the withered branches have long since sprouted green buds and grown lush and green, and the leaves rustle softly in the wind.

On the towering wall, the shadow cast by the ancient trees perfectly concealed her petite beastly body. Looking down, Shen Tang could take in most of the scenery of the Imperial Garden.

She waited for a long time, but only saw a few scattered palace servants. She sighed inwardly, thinking that she would not be able to see the emperor today.

Just as Shen Tang was about to leave, a respectful voice came from behind him.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Shen Tang was startled and turned to look at the source of the sound. A tall and slender figure walked slowly around the corner, surrounded by a crowd.

His long, flowing red hair was tied up with a magnificent golden crown. The man had long, sword-like eyebrows, and his captivating fox-like eyes were filled with an alluring intoxication. He had a high nose bridge, thin, crimson lips, and wore a black and gold robe. He was dignified and aloof, exuding the majesty of a monarch.

The man's tall and handsome appearance matched the image in his memory perfectly!
Shen Tang was struck dumb, frozen on the spot.

Shen... Shen Li?!
Her eyes widened, her lips trembled, and she tried to shout, but it felt as if her throat was being tightly gripped by a pair of large hands.

She wanted to run out, run to that person, touch his face to see if it was as warm and soft as she remembered, and ideally, hug him tightly and tell him how sad she had been and how much she had missed him.

However, her hands and feet seemed to be bound by ropes, making it difficult for her to move.

Shen Tang felt her whole body stiffen, her mind went blank, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. She bit her lip and held them back tightly.

She kept telling herself, forcing herself, to stay calm.

Is that man really Shen Li? Is he the Fox King?

Shen Tang stared intently at the tall figure that was getting closer and closer.

The emperor suddenly stopped and turned to give instructions to the attendant beside him.

Shen Tang looked at him from afar, not very clearly, but she could still recognize that the man's appearance was exactly the same as Shen Li's, but the two had completely different temperaments.

Shen Li always had a smiling face, no matter who he was talking to. His every move exuded a noble and gentle charm, like a gentle spring rain that nourished things silently, yet it was hard not to notice him.

The emperor gave her only a feeling of endless indifference and unfamiliarity; his aura of authority was cold and unapproachable.

Aside from their identical appearances, she couldn't see anything in common between the two.

Could Shen Li have a twin brother?

As Shen Tang was lost in thought, she saw the emperor turn and leave.

Half an hour passed, and the boss should have finished discussing things. Shen Tang hesitated for a moment, then turned around and disappeared without wasting any more time.

Shen Tang was unaware that after she left, the emperor stopped and turned to look in a certain direction.

That was the direction she left in.

The man's long, narrow, fox-like eyes held a complex mix of melancholy and longing. He sighed softly, paused for a moment, and then turned and left.

The cat-shaped jade carving at his waist jingled softly.

When Qiu Yang returned from outside, he heard that the emperor had been furious in court, went to the imperial garden, and then returned to the palace.

He turned back halfway and went to the palace to report important matters.

Ji Jiuli leaned against the couch, holding a jade carving in her hand.

Her slender, jade-like fingers toyed with the black and white jade cat carving she had bought from a street stall.

The emperor had plenty of rare treasures, but this insignificant little thing won His Majesty's favor. He wore it on his person every day and would take it out to play with it from time to time.

As Ji Jiuli looked at the jade carving in his hand, a faint look of longing and yearning appeared on his handsome and elegant face, as if there were other more complex emotions hidden within.

The palace servants were all puzzled as to why His Majesty was so fond of this small jade carving and why he wore such an intriguing expression.

Qiu Yang's heart skipped a beat when he saw this scene.

He lowered his eyes to conceal the ruthlessness and hesitation in his heart, thinking: So many elite assassins were sent to assassinate just one female, the job should be done by now.

"Ahem, Your Majesty, I have something to say." Qiu Yang coughed lightly, bringing the man back from his reverie.

Ji Jiuli raised her eyes and looked at him calmly, "Just say what you want to say."

"This is Zhang Hu's household expenses for this month. There is a large amount of income that is unknown and is still under investigation..." Qiu Yang had not left after reporting his work.

After hesitating for a moment, he spoke in a low voice, "Your Majesty, would you like to go and see Consort Wu Qing? She hasn't seen you for so many years and misses you very much."

Ji Jiuli stroked the jade carving in his hand without saying a word.

Qiu Yang forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty, Consort Wu Qing came to the palace today. She has been wanting to see you for a long time, and even the head of the Wu family came in person. So please don't refuse this time."

"...Understood. Tell them to wait in the council hall." Ji Jiuli casually placed the jade carving on the table, got up, and left.