Chapter 863 - 863: Idiots Everywhere

"Don't worry, it might not be the six families who made this decision." Hearing the cold voice startled Shu Tzu. He snapped his head back to see Feng Niu walking out of the shadows.

"Ah…" he tried to form words but panicked in the presence of former queen. Ever since the fight, he did not know how to face her.

Fortunately for him, Feng Niu ignored his expression and explained, "it might not really be a joint decision of the six families, sometimes few family heads band together and make a decision in the name of six families without consulting others just to impose their powers."

"So you mean to say that it might not be all six families who are ignoring the danger of the red dawn cult." being true to his post and intellect, Shi Tzu instantly understood what she meant.

"Indeed, I also think the same." Wuhan glanced at Feng Niu coldly before agreeing with her. "I am sure, Senior Ming, who had seen the members of cult in action would take such a decision. This was also one of the reasons he took his daughter back."

"There is no way, the Ming family would make such a dumb decision when the former head is the one who attest to the cult's crimes."

The former queen tiled her head in confusion, "Ming Ye was here?"

She did not have a single ounce of respect in her tone when she spoke of his name.

"He brought his daughter to my Empire for some trail." Wuhan briefly explained about Ruo'er and her relationship with Xin Yan.

"What happened to her son?" Feng Niu's voice lowered to a whisper. She had gotten close to Xin Yan despite how different their personalities were but even then she did not know anything about her.

Wuhan contemplated for a second if he should tell her about it or not. It was not just because he did not trust his mother but also because that pain was not his to share.

Seeing his hesitation, Feng Niu got the idea that whatever the truth was not anything good and seeing the hesitation in her son's eyes she changed the topic.

"Whatever, we should focus on how to handle the Song Family after this." She looked at Wuhan and hurriedly added, "I am not saying that you did something wrong. But I am sure the Song family won't take the insult lying down."

"From what I know about that man,"she warned. "I am sure he won't take it lying down."

The man she mentioned was none other than her father and the family head of the Song Family.

"Let them try; I will deal with whatever they throw at me." Wuhan slowly walked back to his throne and sat down.

Feng Niu studied her son for a moment, pride and concern warring in her expression. Then something seemed to occur to her, and her demeanor shifted slightly.

"Speaking of the Song Family," she said, her tone carefully casual in a way that immediately put Wuhan on guard, "I recall something about them."

"Oh?"

"Apparently the old man had another child. A daughter." Feng Niu's lip curled slightly. "Can you believe it? That ancient fossil is still fooling around like he's in his youth. He must be what, over three thousand years old now? And still taking concubines."

She shook her head with disgust. "I suppose that makes her my half-sister, though I have no interest in claiming any relation. Do you know anything about her?"

In fact, she came to know about Song Liu from Noah's and Wuhan's talks when she was sealed in the coffin.

Wuhan's expression remained perfectly neutral, but internally he felt a spike of tension.

Song Liu.

His aunt. She could also be called Noah's half-disciple, since he taught her. The girl who had been kidnapped by the Red Dawn Cult.

How could he tell that he failed to protect her and she was taken away by the Red Dawn cult and converted to their cause? 'She might use it against me if she gets the chance.'

He couldn't tell his mother any of that.

Not about Song Liu being the member of his sect and Noah's half disciple; that would create complications he didn't need right now, especially given Feng Niu's volatile relationship with him.

"The Song Family's internal affairs are of no concern to me," Wuhan said, his tone dismissive. He stood from his throne with an air of finality. "I have more pressing matters to attend to than keeping track of my grandfather's indiscretions."

He turned to Shi Tzu. "Prime Minister, prepare a summary of the remaining agenda items. We'll continue the court session tomorrow morning. I will deal with the rest in my study."

"At once, Your Majesty."

Wuhan looked at Feng Niu, his expression softening slightly but still maintaining distance. "Are you done? Don't you have to cultivate? I need to return to the matters of the empire. If you are that free, go roam around the capital city."

It was a polite dismissal, and they both knew it. If Wuhan wanted, he could have simply told her to 'fuck off.' But this was the basic courtesy he could give her.

Feng Niu's eyes narrowed slightly; she could tell he was hiding something, but she didn't press.

Whatever secrets Wuhan was keeping about this half-sister, he clearly wasn't ready to share them.

"Of course," she said, her tone carrying a hint of knowing amusement. "I wouldn't want to keep the Emperor from his important work."

She began to fade back into the shadows, merging with the darkness in the corners of the throne room.

"But Wuhan," her voice drifted out from the shadows, "when you're ready to tell me what you're hiding about this Song Liu... I'll be listening."

Then she was gone, leaving Wuhan standing alone in the throne room with Shi Tzu, the weight of too many secrets pressing down on his shoulders.

"I just hope wherever Noah is, he doesn't cross paths with the Song Family" Wuhan sighed with fake concern as he added, "or they might lose their standing in one of the hidden families."