E'shou returned to the Imperial Palace after all, still needing to deliver Jiuying's contract to Li Qingjun.
Though they had clearly decided to go to war, the play still had to be acted out.
When she returned, Qin Yi was already gone. Li Qingjun was lazily smoothing her hair as she stretched in the garden, looking unmistakably well-nourished from last night.
E'shou grumbled inwardly, stepped forward, and presented Jiuying's contract. "Your Majesty, this..."
"Put it there first." Li Qingjun turned to examine E'shou, then suddenly smiled. "Rabbit, if Jiuying accomplishes its goal, what reward will you receive?"
"Uh?" E'shou scratched her head. "Maybe I'll be granted a very fine Star Lord title."
Actually, that was not the case.
As an E'shou, deceiving others was her instinct. It was different from how those fiends of the Northern Abyss deceived people. The fiends had purposes in mind; if telling the truth benefited them, then they would certainly tell the truth. E'shou, however, needed no purpose at all. It was simply in her nature to refuse to speak the truth in nearly every sentence. If someone killed her and stewed her for meat, anyone who ate a piece would never speak the truth again...
This was divinity.
Who could trust such a demon beast?
She deceived both Yao Guang back then and Jiuying now. Yet as leaders, they naturally possessed the bearing of leaders. So long as her lies were not too damaging, they merely laughed them off. They were employing her, and could not be bothered to take her seriously. But no matter what, neither would regard E'shou as a true confidante.
Yet E'shou had to lean upon a powerful patron. Otherwise, with her foul habit of lying by instinct, she had offended who knew how many immortals and gods long ago.