Du Yan escorted Ninian in, then bowed and backed out, only straightening up and turning around once he was out of Lanling’s sight.
Honestly, Lanling was extremely surprised by Du Yan’s behaviour. He was actually so respectful, even more so than his previous deference to Constantine.
As for Ninian, she was like a walking corpse, her face blank.
“How did you come back?” Lanling asked.
Ninian said, “Kicked out by the Little Raksha King. Surprised?”
“Kicked out? Why?” Lanling said. “Can he not afford to keep you? What is the big deal about one more woman?”
Ninian laughed coldly. “Mock me to your heart’s content. I no longer care.”
Lanling shrugged.
At this moment, Ninian’s gaze finally fell upon Gouli, and she was greatly startled.
This… this was her mother?
How did she look even younger than her, and countless times more beautiful, with such a fiery figure that even women would be moved?
However, why was her skin so deathly pale? Why were her eyes so cold?
Even if she had become Lanling’s woman, did she have to be so cold and heartless towards her own daughter?
“What more do you want?” Ninian said coldly. “Do you need me to kneel down and submit to you, to satisfy your sense of superiority? Do you need me to sing praises of your great victory over Naishu? Or shall I lie down and let you do as you please?”
At this moment, Ninian was truly full of aggression, and had completely lost her fear.
“If you remain in the Flame Demon Tribe, will you become a scourge? Even a very small one?” Lanling asked.
His tone was very calm, but he already had killing intent.
At this point, his patience for people without value was at an absolute minimum, even if Ninian was a woman he had slept with.
But this woman’s martial arts were not high, and her looks could not be called top-tier. Her value was truly not high. If she posed even the slightest harm to the Flame Demon Tribe, Lanling would kill her without hesitation.
And Gouli, sensing Lanling’s intent, directly gripped her sword.
Though she possessed Gouli’s body, and even Gouli’s memories.
But facing this matter, she was like a bystander, with no mother-daughter affection for Ninian whatsoever.
Killing Ninian with her own hands, though there might be a tiny bit of conflict, the hesitation would definitely not exceed half a second.
All Death Warriors were extensions of Lanling’s will.
“Husband…” Dina reached out and grasped Lanling’s hand.
The current Dina already understood her husband Lanling very well. Just from his tone, she could tell what Lanling wanted to do.
She could not bear it.
Lanling patted her hand, then looked at her swollen belly.
“I want to see my father.” The numb Ninian had not yet sensed that Lanling had just stirred with killing intent.
Lanling did not even call out, directly locking onto Constantine with his mind and summoning him.
Moments later, Death Warrior Constantine arrived before Lanling, kneeling on both knees. “Master!”
“Father!” Ninian’s eyes grew hot, and she was about to throw herself at her father Constantine.
However, Constantine’s gaze was cold, without any warmth, without any emotion.
Ninian forcibly stopped her steps, looking at Constantine in disbelief, wailing, “Father, what is wrong with you? I am your daughter Ninian.”
Constantine nodded. “I know you are Ninian.”
Then, he stood there quietly, without the slightest emotional fluctuation.
Ninian completely broke down, bursting into loud sobs, pointing at Lanling. “You devil, you devil. What have you done to my parents? What have you turned them into?”
Lanling did not answer, directly saying, “Send Ninian to Yin Ji and have her make an assessment.”
“Yes!” Du Yan said.
Then, he came in and led Ninian away.
“Lanling is back?” Yin Ji said. Her exquisite, beautiful face was still buried in a large pile of documents.
At this point, she had already become the busiest person in the entire Flame Demon Tribe, because she had to build the entire official apparatus of the Flame Demon Tribe.
She could not interfere in the slightest with military power or generals.
But in terms of internal affairs, Lanling had completely delegated authority.
Since childhood, Yin Ji had been held on her father Duke Lanshi’s lap while he read memorials. Sometimes when Duke Lanshi received civil and military officials, he would also hold her.
Because Duke Lanshi had several sons in succession, and only Yin Ji as a daughter, so he doted on her especially.
After going to the Yanjing Temple, though Yin Ji was merely a princess of a duchy, she became class monitor, managing several dozen people, among whom were not lacking royal children of the Yan Empire and several great kingdoms.
Therefore, though her heart was pure and romantic, she was very perceptive about human nature, and had a natural sensitivity towards politics.
“Miss Yin Ji, the sovereign lord sent me to bring Ninian here for you to make a comprehensive assessment,” Du Yan said.
Yin Ji said, “Very well, Lord Du Yan, let her in.”
She was not unfamiliar with Ninian. During the first siege of the Flame Demon Tribe by the allied forces of the Chimera and Ankara tribes, the two of them had been allies. Though neither thought much of the other, they had had quite a few exchanges.
“Hmph, Yin Ji, so you really used your body to climb up? Lanling must dote on you very much, right?” At this point, Ninian was biting at whoever she saw.
Yin Ji did not mind. Her heart was currently full of joy, and she would not bother with such verbal attacks. Moreover, she had seen this low-level scheming all too often.
“Do you know what it means that Lanling sent you here to me for assessment?” Yin Ji said. “Once the assessment is failed, he will kill you, and will have your mother do it.”
At these words, Ninian’s delicate body trembled violently.
Yin Ji said, “And the standard of assessment is whether you will cause harm to the Flame Demon Tribe. Even the smallest harm.”
“Bastard, shameless…” Ninian could not hold back her tears.
She had fantasised many times about the scene of meeting Lanling again, fantasising that he might force himself upon her again, or mock her with cold sarcasm.
At this moment, she finally understood Lanling’s heart. That was, she was as light as a goose feather.
In Lanling’s eyes, she had no value whatsoever, not even the value of being mocked. There was only endless impatience. He did not care what Ninian was thinking, nor did he care what tragic experiences she had suffered, nor did he care about the pain in Ninian’s heart.
What he wanted most was to directly kill Ninian and be done with it. But considering Constantine and Gouli, he had a tiny bit of reluctance to act.
Ninian was truly incomparably sad.
Lanling was the first man her heart had stirred for, the first man she had given herself to, even the only one.
Because, because regarding what happened on the night she married the Little Raksha King as a concubine, she completely did not know.
Yet in Lanling’s eyes, she was truly like dust.
“If your grief is greater than your heart’s death, and you wish to die, I can grant you that,” Yin Ji said. “But if you still have even a little unwillingness, and are not willing to die just like this, then answer my questions properly.”
Taking a deep breath, Ninian sat down before Yin Ji.
“First question. Who is the person you hate most in your heart?” Yin Ji asked.
Ninian said, “Can it be two people?”
Yin Ji said, “Tell me.”
Ninian said, “The Little Raksha King, Lanling.”
Yin Ji said, “If these two people duelled, which one would you wish to die?”
Ninian said, “Both of them.”
Yin Ji said, “If you were made strong enough, but could only kill one person, who would you choose to kill? Remember, this time it can only be one person.”
Ninian’s face twitched. She hesitated for a long time, wanting to speak but stopping, yet ultimately still could not give an answer.
She truly did not know whether to choose to kill Lanling or kill the Little Raksha King.
Both of these men had trampled upon her dignity from the depths of her soul. Both had destroyed everything she had.
“I don’t know,” Ninian said.
Yin Ji said, “Very well, I understand. You may leave for now.”
Du Yan stepped forward and led Ninian away.
Yin Ji held her brush, not knowing how to put it down.
Without doubt, Ninian’s assessment could not pass. As long as she put a cross, then Ninian would not live to see dawn.
Either have Gouli execute her, or have Du Yan execute her.
Lanling definitely would not have any pity. He was simply a bastard, a cold and heartless bastard. He had no feelings for anyone, including her, Yin Ji.
The reason he had gone to great lengths to rescue her was merely because he valued her worth, not her beauty or body.
Several times Yin Ji was about to put brush to paper and make a cross.
But several times, she could not bring herself to do it.
She detested Ninian, but this woman was too unfortunate. Her tribe was gone, her parents turned into puppets by Lanling. She had been toyed with by men twice, and finally was kicked out by the Little Raksha King.
To execute such a pitiful woman just like this, her heart could not bear it.
But if she put a tick on this assessment, it would be irresponsible of her, a betrayal of the Flame Demon Tribe’s interests.
Taking a deep breath, Yin Ji took this report and headed towards Lanling’s residence.
“Chieftain!” Yin Ji’s voice sounded from outside.
Lanling was startled. Yin Ji would take the initiative to come find him?
Dina made a face at Lanling, then kissed him intimately and said, “I shall go rest first.”
At this moment, the little girl in Lanling’s arms was already unbearably sleepy, her little head drooping again and again.
Ali at the side took the little girl, then went with Dina to the room behind the castle.
“Enter!” Lanling said.
Yin Ji walked in, her head lowered, her exquisite, beautiful face unable to hold back a flush.
Because their last meeting had been too awkward.
Lanling noticed that Yin Ji was wearing a velvet long dress, still form-fitting, but leaning towards the serious, making her graceful, delicate body’s curves even more slender and alluring.
“What is the matter?” Lanling said.
“Two matters,” Yin Ji said. “The first is about Ninian. The second is about the Flame Demon Tribe’s internal affairs officials. I have already assessed a batch and need to give you a comprehensive report.”
“Very well,” Lanling said. “The first matter.”
Yin Ji said, “Ninian’s ideological assessment did not pass.”
Lanling said directly, “Gouli, go kill her.”
“Yes!” Gouli said without another word, directly drawing her sword and walking outside.
“Wait…” Yin Ji said. “Chieftain, I do not wish to execute her so easily. But I also cannot let her pass the assessment on the report, as that would violate my principles and the tribe’s interests. Therefore, I wish to plead on her behalf. Please spare her life.”
Lanling said, “Is there a need?”
Yin Ji said, “I wish to reform her. She is extremely vain, which means she has enormous flaws. She is very scheming, very cunning, so she still has value. Moreover, she is a rational, selfish person. It is merely because she suffered too great a blow that she appears fearless of death, revealing a very mad temperament. But once she calms down, she will greatly cherish her life. And once she discovers and experiences her own value, then she will desperately climb upwards within the Flame Demon Tribe’s system.”
Lanling furrowed his brows.
Yin Ji’s heart trembled. “Does my pleading make you impatient?”
Behind these words was the question, was her position in his eyes also so insignificant? Merely pleading for Ninian already made him impatient.
“Your name,” Lanling suddenly said. “What is your name in the human kingdom? You tell me, and I will spare Ninian’s life.”
“You, you bastard!” Yin Ji said.
The reason she was so angry was not that Lanling was forcing her, but that she felt her weight in Lanling’s heart was too low.
Ninian’s life was insignificant in Lanling’s eyes, yet he used Ninian’s life to trade for Yin Ji’s true identity.
This represented that regarding Yin Ji’s identity, he was merely curious, not particularly concerned.
So it could be said that Yin Ji was extremely intelligent, able to see through people’s hearts with ease.
“Lan Yin!” Yin Ji said through gritted teeth. “Daughter of the ruler of the Yelan Duchy.”
Lanling’s heart trembled, but his face showed no expression.
No wonder, no wonder Lanling found her familiar.
Because Lanling had seen her mother, and it was but a fleeting glimpse from afar.
Yin Ji’s mother was Princess Moping of the Xiliang Kingdom, the principal wife of Duke Lanshi, ruler of the Yelan Duchy. At that time, she had followed Duke Lanshi to the Dragon God Tower to offer sacrifices to heaven, and Lanling had seen her once.
It was merely a single glance, truly difficult to leave an impression.
This world was truly too small.
Yin Ji’s parents were killed by Lanling’s explosion.
At that time, the Yelan Duchy’s Crown Prince Lantu led an army of three hundred thousand to attack Ashiliren’s Rouran City. In order to resolve Liren’s crisis, Lanling used timed explosives to assassinate Duke Lanshi and his wife.
Moreover, he had not only killed Duke Lanshi and his wife, but also indirectly split the Yelan Duchy, and even indirectly caused Crown Prince Lantu’s death.
Therefore, between Lanling and Yin Ji was a true blood feud.
And the enemy in her mouth was without doubt Sauron, which was him, Lanling.
Killing Sauron was already the greatest spiritual pillar supporting her will to live, the greatest mission of her life.
This hatred probably could never be washed clean no matter what.
Lanling narrowed his eyes, hesitating in his heart. What should he do now?
At this moment, though his heart surged like the sea, falling into a difficult choice, his face showed no flaw whatsoever. He even spoke normally with Yin Ji, saying, “Very well, Ninian will be temporarily spared. She is entrusted to you for reform. If there are any mistakes, you will be held responsible.”
“It’s a deal!” Yin Ji glared at him angrily. “From now on, if she does anything to harm the Flame Demon Tribe, you may hold me responsible.”
Truly a naturally intelligent, yet very naive girl.
A rational, shrewd politician would never do such a thankless task.
Yin Ji said, “Next is the report on the Flame Demon Tribe’s internal affairs officials. There are many people, nearly a hundred in total. It will take a long time.”
“I have a whole night,” Lanling said.
He listened very attentively, but in his heart he was pondering one matter.
Should he kill Yin Ji?
Correct, he had been considering this matter the entire time.
The current Lanling, once encountering a troublesome person, first thought of whether to kill them and be done with it.
Even if Yin Ji was a woman of supreme wisdom, yet naive and kind at heart, and moreover an exquisite, beautiful, spirit-filled seductress.
But after learning her true identity, Lanling’s first thought was to kill her and avoid future trouble.
He had indeed become cold and heartless. And as time passed, this ruthlessness grew increasingly apparent.
At least, apart from the little girl, Suomo, and Dina, there was no longer anyone who could make him view them as family, as someone who could not be sacrificed.
But…
Once Yin Ji was killed, in this southern wilderness, where would he find such excellent internal affairs talent?
Killing her was truly too much of a pity. Not killing her meant future trouble. It truly was a difficult dilemma.
Drain her blood and turn her into a Death Warrior too?
No, that way she would lose her own wisdom and will, losing her value.
What could erase the hatred in her heart?
What emotion could surpass the emotion for one’s parents?
Romantic love? No, romantic love could be very deep, but the distance from love to hate was only that of a sheet of paper.
Unless it was a cute, silly girl like Naier, who would love so intensely. Other women, Lanling dared not hope for.
Motherly love, yes, motherly love.
Motherly love surpassed everything, and could even cover over hatred.
Then, if he wanted to continue using Yin Ji’s value without causing future trouble, the most direct method was to get her pregnant.
Yes, this was the best method.
Lanling decided in an instant. Spare Yin Ji’s life, get her pregnant, and erase the hatred in her heart.
When to get her pregnant? The sooner the better.
Instantly, Lanling’s gaze fell upon Yin Ji’s face, upon her graceful, alluring figure.
And at this moment, the exquisite, beautiful, naive yet wise Yin Ji had no idea of Lanling’s evil plan in his heart, still diligently reporting on each name on the list.
But she discovered that Lanling’s gaze towards her face, towards her waist and hips, grew increasingly wicked.
“What, what do you want to do?” Yin Ji said tremulously.
“If I bed you now, would you seek death?” Lanling’s question was about to blurt out.
But at this moment, urgent hoofbeats sounded from outside.
“Master, my mortal enemy Khan Chiyan has led a coalition army of over twenty thousand centaurs and surrounded my Xie Li Tribe!” Khan Xieli said urgently. “Moreover, he sent a letter demanding that I and you go to the Xie Li Tribe to confront him face to face. If we do not arrive within five days, he will kill every last person of the Xie Li Tribe.”