Huo Qing was so angry the blood in his chest seemed to boil and a sickly sweet taste flooded his throat. He felt a splitting headache and his heart was filled with rage and fear. He was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to protect Hu er.

  Huo Qing swallowed back the blood and said mildly, “There’s no evidence that this woman is a demon.”

  “Your Majesty, this demon transformed from that fox you had kept as a pet,” said the imperial astronomer as he pointed at the little fox.

  Huo Qing immediately refuted, “Our little fox has been murdered by someone. How could an animal possible transform into a human? How absurd! If our nation has to be protected by ministers like you, we’d prefer not to have this nation.”


  “Your Majesty, this old subject has conclusive proof. That’s the only reason we’ve come to ask for your judgement,” said the imperial tutor. “Your Majesty, Xiao Anzi can testify.”


  “Xiao Anzi?” Huo Qing looked over in astonishment at Xiao Anzi who had walked over while bowing. Xiao Anzi then dropped to his knees.

  “Xiao Anzi greets Your Majesty and honorable ministers.” There was no trace of fear on Xiao Anzi’s face. Huo Qing felt very uneasy to see Xiao Anzi like this. He gave a cold humph and said, “Xiao Anzi, be careful about what you say. If you tell any lies, we will have your head.”


  Xiao Anzi kowtowed, then said, “This subject will definitely speak only the truth.”


  “The woman next to His Majesty is the golden fox transformed into a human. The dead fox found in the imperial garden before was something His Majesty told this subject to do. He had this subject skin a dead fox.”


  Xiao Anzi kowtowed again.

  “If any of this servant’s words were false, then let this servant fall into the eighteenth level of hell to never be reincarnated,” said Xiao Anzi coldly. His every word seemed to slice at Huo Qing like blades.

  Huo Qing never expected that a dog he kept would actually bite him. This damned castrate actually dared to do this!? Huo Qing shouted coldly, “Xiao Anzi, we’ve always treated you well, but you actually dared to betray us!”


  “This servant isn’t betraying Your Majesty. This servant is simply loyal to the whole of Yan. Your Majesty is indulging a demon and having illicit sexual relations with her. This is against the natural order of things! Even if this servant is killed, this servant would feel no regret. This servant’s only regret would be to not have the chance to personally kill the demon.” Xiao Anzi looked towards the little fox with hatred.

  “You hate me?” The little fox couldn’t figure out when she had offended him.

  “Of course I hate you. You made His Majesty become ruthless. As a person, I was actually played around with by an animal of a demon like you!” said Xiao Anzi resentfully.

  Ning Shu inwardly smiled. No matter how small the nails were, it’d still hurt when hammered into your flesh. This was the price of being willful.