Feng Qingyin had never bothered to avoid calling Emperor Qiwen “that old fellow” in front of Zhan Yuheng.

Zhan Yuheng had never taken her words to heart, and Feng Qingyin thus felt that Zhan Yuheng had tacitly accepted her behavior, growing all the more brazen as a result.

Feng Qingyin had mentioned to Zhan Yuheng on several occasions how Emperor Qiwen had back in the day forced her to submit, and Zhan Yuheng was well aware that she despised Emperor Qiwen.

Even knowing that Zhan Yuheng would not care about her feelings, Feng Qingyin would always bring up her own “wretched past” from time to time.

Seeing that Zhan Yuheng remained silent, Feng Qingyin continued: “So that means there was nothing suspicious about the old fellow’s death, am I right?”

“He was old — he would die sooner or later. Now that he has died, isn’t that a good thing for you, for me, and for our son?”

“What did you say?” Zhan Yuheng fixed his gaze on Feng Qingyin, his voice dropping low.

“Why are you snapping at me? Do you not remember how your Imperial Mother died such a terrible death? The old fellow delivered your Imperial Mother into her enemy’s hands.”

“He drove your Imperial Mother to her death — she died a terrible death. Do you not hate the old fellow?”

Feng Qingyin looked at Zhan Yuheng, closed her eyes, drew in several deep breaths, and only then steadied herself.

“Your Imperial Mother may have been ruthless, but everything she did was for your sake — do you not understand that?”

“Having lived these days in the rear palace, I have come to deeply understand everything your Imperial Mother did back then.”

“If she had not been ruthless, your position as Crown Prince might have been lost at any moment. To put it plainly: without her, there would be no you!”

Feng Qingyin pressed a hand to her heart and stepped back several paces, sinking into a chair.

“Crown Prince Brother, this is still your first time coming to my Qingxiang Hall. You didn’t even dare come to see your own child when he was born. You…”

Feng Qingyin shook her head and let out a faint sigh.

“I understand your difficulties, and that is why I have never blamed you all this time. But have you ever given any thought to me?”

“Setting aside the fact that I worked so hard to give birth to your Imperial son, you didn’t even come to see me once.”

“I have always conducted myself with propriety and never done anything improper — all in the hope that someday, when my Crown Prince Brother ascended the throne as Emperor, he would restore a proper name to both me and my son.”

“Nanmeng Rong was powerful and had such a formidable family backing her — and yet she was defeated. I am but a single woman, with a small infant in my arms. How could I possibly dare to assassinate the Emperor?”

“Crown Prince Brother, be sensible! The old fellow’s death is not worth your grief.”

“Right now, the forces of the Di Family are pressing toward the imperial city. If it weren’t for the old fellow constantly weakening your military strength, with you in command, things would never have come to this.”

“A nation cannot go a single day without a ruler — especially not at a time like this.”

“To safeguard the Zhan imperial house, you must now ascend the throne, succeed to the imperial position, seize the old fellow’s military authority, and eliminate every last remnant of the Di Family.”

“Rather than come here to interrogate me — a foolish woman who, like your Imperial Mother, has only ever thought of you!”

After Feng Qingyin’s words fell, the hall remained silent for quite a while.

In the end, Zhan Yuheng did not leave a single word behind. He turned and walked away.

Not until he had gone far did Lingling, who had been hiding in the inner chamber, come out and close the door.

“My Lady.” She came to Feng Qingyin’s side and called softly.

“Have someone prepare a phoenix robe for me.” Feng Qingyin looked at Lingling and lightly curled the corner of her lips.

Lingling immediately glanced toward the inner chamber door, then back at Feng Qingyin: “This…”

“What are you flustered about? Which of my garments doesn’t already look like a phoenix robe?” Feng Qingyin picked up her teacup and took a sip of tea.

“Before, I did not care for that position, but things will soon be different. I will be my Crown Prince Brother’s — no, my Emperor Brother’s — Empress.”

“This matter will sooner or later be proclaimed to the world. Those who read the times wisely are the true heroes, are they not?”

Previously, when the old fellow was still alive, she had to speak guardedly. Now that the old fellow was dead, why should she still need to be afraid?

“My Lady, even if His Highness the Crown Prince ascends the throne right away, he still has a hard battle ahead of him. Should this matter not be set aside for a little while longer?”

“Stop prattling! When I tell you to go prepare, go and prepare!” Feng Qingyin stood up, sauntered around, and turned to walk off in another direction.

Lingling watched her departing figure, clasped her hands in a bow, and said: “Yes, My Lady.”

Seven days later, Zhan Yuheng ascended the throne and succeeded to the imperial position.

On the day of his enthronement, once the ceremony was complete, he donned his armor and took to the battlefield, silencing all the murmuring voices within the palace.

At this enthronement ceremony, the Seventh Prince Zhan Luori and the Eighth Prince Zhan Lingtian were both unable to attend due to the ongoing war.

After Zhan Yuheng ascended the throne, he obtained the military command and led the former Emperor’s armies to battle against the enemy.

Empress Dowager Ning had long since vanished, and no one knew where she had gone.

With Zhan Yuheng’s departure, only Feng Qingyin remained in the palace.

Unable to take her seat on the Empress’s throne on the same day as Zhan Yuheng’s enthronement, Feng Qingyin behaved like a madwoman, ordering people killed at the slightest dissatisfaction.

Ever since Zhan Yuheng had ascended the throne, the entire rear palace had fallen into complete disarray.

With the sole exception of Feng Qingyin, every person living in the rear palace lived in fear and trepidation, terrified that one day their own head might not be spared.

……

Three full months had passed, and the Black Canyon had gone from constant, unceasing warfare at the beginning to gradually settling into calm by the end.

The name Feng Jiu’er was known by virtually everyone in the Black Canyon, from the eighty-year-old elders down to eight-year-old children.

Feng Jiu’er, as always, rode Zhuiyue at the front of the procession.

She was clad in a single white robe, adorned only with a few faint, pale yellow flowers that seemed almost not to exist.

Her jet-black, lustrous long hair cascaded down her back, falling naturally.

At first glance, she looked like an immortal maiden who had tumbled into the mortal world, yet remained untouched by even a speck of dust.

Yet on the battlefield, her valiant and heroic bearing was something no other woman could compare to.

“Jiu’er.” Qiao Mu rode her horse forward to catch up.

She looked at the mountain peak ahead, her expression somewhat cheerful: “Now there’s only Nanman Fort left. Jiu’er, do you think the Fort Master will agree without even a word of protest?”

“I am not him — how would I know?” Feng Jiu’er glanced at Qiao Mu and raised her brow lightly.

“This one isn’t hard to guess.” Qiao Mu shrugged. “If we hadn’t helped quite a few people when we passed through, this trip of ours wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.”

“Indeed, the speed of it has surpassed even my own expectations.” Feng Jiu’er gazed at a stretch of green in the distance, that color that signified life, and the corners of her mouth curved upward slightly.

Three months of time — and to have nearly reclaimed the entire Black Canyon — this was something Feng Jiu’er had never even dared dream of before.

Perhaps a large part of the credit was due to Zhao Family Village, but the process mattered, and results mattered even more.

This was the result that Feng Jiu’er had wanted.

Suddenly, not far away, a brother who had gone ahead to scout came riding back on horseback, his expression seeming rather grave.

Qiao Mu furrowed her brow lightly and went to meet him: “What happened?”

“General Qiao, we’ve discovered a considerable number of troops and horses, heading this way head-on.” One brother replied in a steady voice.

“That’s right.” Another brother nodded as well. “Just on the other side of the mountain — they’ll be meeting us very soon.”