Beast World: The Crazy Female Is Chased by Five Beast Husbands - Chapter 44

Li Qinghe asked in a low, serious voice.

Since the incident had already occurred, she knew scolding Ruyue now would be useless.

The best course of action was to quickly find a way to resolve the matter.

Otherwise, if Hua Shan and her father truly traced it back to Ruyue,

She, as the master, would be the one implicated.

Ruyue immediately stopped crying and shook her head.

“How could I possibly tell anyone else about such a major matter?”

Ruyue widened her eyes.

She wasn’t stupid!

“Aside from Your Highness and myself, I haven’t told a soul about this.”

See how cautious I am, Princess?

You should praise me.

Ruyue wore an expression of fawning and flattery.

Li Qinghe felt nothing but irritation at the sight. “So, I should reward you for this, is that it?”

“Fool. If you had leaked even this much, there’d be no reason for you to keep living.”

The flattery on Ruyue’s face vanished instantly, replaced by shock and lingering fear.

Li Qinghe had no patience for Ruyue’s current expression. Instead, she picked up the teapot on the table, poured herself a cup, and began strategizing.

“Notify them have the person killed and the body destroyed immediately.”

After sitting down, her eyes gleaming with cold determination, she issued the order decisively. “Also, silence everyone involved in this matter.”

Only then could they prevent Hua Shan and her father from tracing the clues back to Ruyue.

And only then could she remain unscathed.

Ruyue frowned, her heart pounding with dread.

She never imagined her private decision would cost so many lives.

Had she known, she wouldn’t have acted recklessly.

Now, in one fell swoop, she had doomed so many.

To say she felt no guilt would be a lie.

But she also knew her remorse wouldn’t change a thing.

If Li Qinghe didn’t take these measures, she would be the one implicated.

So guilt was one thing.

Survival was another. She could only tell herself she owed them if there was a next life, she’d make it up to them by serving them like a beast of burden.

–

For two full days, the people Li Xuan Yue had sent out failed to find Imperial Physician Fang.

Meanwhile, Hua Shan’s side reported that a charred corpse had been discovered in a temple just outside the Phoenix Clan’s territory the previous day.

Preliminary investigations suggested the corpse was likely the missing Imperial Physician Fang.

When the news reached Fenghe Palace, Li Xuan Yue was taken aback.

“Are you certain the deceased is Imperial Physician Fang? Not someone else?”

Li Xuan Yue pressed the question seriously.

Given her understanding of Li Qinghe, she shouldn’t have acted against Imperial Physician Fang so soon.

Had they pushed her too hard?

Li Xuan Yue was puzzled.

Yin Xin, aware of her doubts, spoke respectfully. “Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has already had the body brought to Fenghe Palace’s entrance. She requests Your Highness personally verify the identity.”

Li Xuan Yue’s eyes darkened.

She knew that with her father’s involvement, the report couldn’t be falsified.

Thus, it was certain Imperial Physician Fang was truly dead.

“Let’s go. Accompany me to take a look.”

She raised her gaze, then resolutely led Yin Xin out of the palace.

The appearance of a charred corpse outside Fenghe Palace naturally drew the attention of many maids and guards.

Everyone recognized this as the very Imperial Physician Fang who had been abducted two days prior.

What no one expected was that when they finally saw Physician Fang again, it would be in such a charred state.

After death, with no magic to sustain his form, Physician Fang quickly reverted to his true phoenix form.

A scorched, featherless phoenix it might as well have been a chicken. Had Hua Shan not used his magic to briefly preserve the body when sending it over, some might not have even recognized it.

Yin Xin lightly covered her nose with her sleeve. “Princess, this is Physician Fang’s remains.”

She explained to Li Xuanyue, “When the Empress Dowager sent him over, she deliberately extended the magic to maintain his human form. But now that the time has passed, he has reverted to his true body.”

“Hmm.”

Li Xuanyue responded softly.

A charred phoenix was indistinguishable from an ordinary rooster.

Its talons were curled inward, the entire body shriveled in a contorted posture.

Some of the maids, unable to bear the stench of burnt flesh in the air, nearly vomited on the spot. Others with stronger constitutions still paled, barely holding themselves together.

Li Xuanyue frowned.

She hadn’t expected Li Qinghe to act so ruthlessly and decisively.

She had assumed Li Qinghe abducted Physician Fang to extract the truth of what he had revealed before silencing him.

But no—Li Qinghe had left no room for survival, ensuring no clues could be traced back to her.

For a moment, guilt flickered in Li Xuanyue’s heart.

She had promised Physician Fang, right to his face, that she would ensure his safety—that no harm would come to him.

Yet in the end, he had been taken right under her nose and killed.

Closing her eyes, Li Xuanyue took a deep breath.

“Give him a proper burial.”

When she opened them again, the remorse in her gaze had been replaced with calm. “And ensure his family is well taken care of. If they need anything, inform me directly.”

“Princess, should we continue investigating this?” Yin Xin asked hesitantly.

Physician Fang was dead, but the culprit remained at large. Letting it go unpunished seemed too lenient.

Li Xuanyue lowered her gaze. “Father will deliver justice.”

Though Physician Fang’s death had forced this matter to a close, Hua Shan’s nature would never allow him to let it rest.

All Li Xuanyue could do now was wait.

Her current strength and methods still needed refinement.

Only once her wings had fully spread, once the poison in her body was fully purged, could she begin to emerge from Hua Shan’s shadow.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Lord Yao.”

As mistress and servant reached the Phoenix Clan’s peach garden, a sharp voice suddenly rang out ahead.

Li Xuanyue paused, glancing toward a pavilion in the distance where two figures seemed to be arguing.

Seeing this, Yin Xin moved to reprimand them but Li Xuanyue raised a hand to stop her.

“Don’t go yet. Let this princess hear what they’re saying first.”

It seemed the consorts in her palace weren’t as harmonious as they appeared on the surface.

Just listen to that shrill voice of Consort Zhao one could easily guess the tension among them.