The moment the Empress Dowager saw the heads, she nearly went mad.

Feng Pin was the most outstanding among all her nephews. Under her orders, he had already substantively taken control of the Southern Border lands.

In other words, Feng Pin was the local emperor of the Southern Border lands, and was also the most basic guarantee for future uprisings.

But this nephew she was most proud of now had only one head that returned to the capital—he had died so miserably.

“Yun Silin, in this dowager’s view, you are the one who rebelled!”

The Empress Dowager transformed grief and indignation into strength, each word resounding powerfully.

Yun Silin extended his hand. The vice general behind him took out a scroll and placed it in his hand.

Yun Silin directly unfurled it and threw it before the Empress Dowager: “This is Feng Pin’s confession. This statement of crimes clearly states that the reason Feng Pin won over the Southern Yue Kingdom was to assist the eldest son of Crown Prince Yici in rebelling to seize the throne!”

The Emperor had long been waiting for this moment. His complexion suddenly changed dramatically.

“Someone come!” He said coldly in anger. “Immediately apprehend the son of Crown Prince Yici—Chu Rui!”

The Empress Dowager was incredulous.

That fool Feng Pin—dying himself wasn’t enough, he actually had to drag Rui’er down with him.

“Wait!”

The Empress Dowager blocked the Imperial Guards who were about to go arrest someone.

“This confession is forged!” She said angrily. “It’s Yun Silin trying to cover up the facts of his own crimes, deliberately killing people and framing others. Your Majesty, you must thoroughly investigate this clearly!”

Yun Silin lightly clapped his hands.

Outside, Imperial Guards escorted two disheveled people inside.

The Empress Dowager’s pupils constricted. These two people were tremendous support she had arranged by Feng Pin’s side—they had actually fallen into Yun Silin’s hands.

Under Yun Silin’s cold gaze, the two fell to their knees with a thud and began recounting their crimes.

“Your Majesty, ten years ago, Prince Zhuang began providing silver to the Southern Border’s Qi City to forge weapons. Qi City’s arsenal has stockpiled enough swords, sabers, and spears for thirty thousand men!”

“Under Prince Zhuang’s direction, Qi City has built a total of twenty-eight granaries, stockpiling over three million catties of grain…”

The Empress Dowager’s body wavered, and she staggered back a step.

These two people actually betrayed her right in front of her face—they truly deserved death.

But before she could become angry, the Emperor said coldly: “Now there are both witnesses and evidence. Does the Empress Dowager still think this is a frame-up?”

The Empress Dowager struggled hard to stabilize her emotions: “Rui’er has been bedridden with illness year-round, barely able to take care of himself. How could he have the energy to do such things? This is framing!”

“With both witnesses and physical evidence complete, the Empress Dowager still insists it’s a frame-up!” Even Yun Silin laughed. “If that’s the case, this subject doesn’t mind personally interrogating Chu Rui. At that time, please ask the Empress Dowager to examine Chu Rui’s confession!”

After speaking, he turned to leave.

The Empress Dowager’s expression immediately changed.

Chu Rui didn’t want to live anyway. He would definitely take everything upon himself.

She only had this one legitimate blood grandson left. How could she watch her grandson die like this?

This matter fundamentally had nothing to do with Rui’er.

It was her, using the name of Crown Prince Yici’s son, who won over military hearts and people’s hearts in the Southern Border.

Everything had been her scheming.

She just hadn’t expected that before she could even launch the uprising, everything would be over.

She didn’t understand why in just three or four short months in the Southern Border, Yun Silin had completely destroyed the foundation she had built there over more than ten years…

“The Southern Border matter truly has nothing to do with Rui’er!” The Empress Dowager closed her eyes. “Everything was this dowager’s idea.”

The Emperor was greatly pleased in his heart.

Chu Rui was weak and sickly, not worth fearing.

What he feared most was the Empress Dowager, because she was his legitimate mother, an elder—he could do nothing to her.

The Empress Dowager had voluntarily confessed.

Then this matter would be much easier to handle.

He said coldly: “This isn’t something where the Empress Dowager saying it’s unrelated makes it unrelated. This matter must be thoroughly investigated—investigate Chu Rui, investigate the Feng family. Everything that should be investigated must be investigated clearly!”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes suddenly opened wide.

She and the Emperor had fought openly and covertly for so many years. They both knew very clearly what the other was thinking.

The Emperor knew full well this matter had little connection to Rui’er, yet still insisted on using it to control her.

She slowly exhaled a breath of foul air: “Rui’er is no longer of princely status. I will also move out of Kunning Palace from now on and will no longer appear at any occasion as Empress Dowager. Is the Emperor satisfied with this?”

The Emperor sneered coldly in his heart.

The Empress Dowager wholeheartedly wanted to seize the realm from his hands. Now that he had seized both witnesses and evidence, would it just end with simply moving out of Kunning Palace?

If he had lost, he dared be certain the Empress Dowager would have killed him without hesitation.

Why would he think he would let this matter pass lightly?

He truly didn’t dare kill the Empress Dowager, because she was his legitimate mother. No matter how grave a mistake the Empress Dowager committed, he had no standing to punish her, but he could…

“The Empress Dowager is advanced in years—just reside in Kunning Palace to peacefully enjoy your remaining years.” The Emperor said lightly. “Chu Rui has committed wrongs, so he must pay the price for his wrongs!”

“Your Majesty!” The Empress Dowager raised her voice. “Your Crown Prince elder brother has only Rui’er as his one bloodline. Must you target Rui’er?”

The Emperor just quietly looked at the Empress Dowager like this.

The Empress Dowager also gazed at the Emperor like this.

The two had fought for so many years. By looking into each other’s eyes, both sides could see into the deepest depths of the other’s heart.

In the deepest depths of everyone’s heart were hidden the darkest, most unspeakable things.

The Emperor didn’t conceal anything, displaying it all.

In the end, the Empress Dowager despairingly shifted her gaze away.

“It was I who directed Feng Pin to commit the act of colluding with the enemy and betraying the nation—it has nothing to do with Chu Rui.” The Empress Dowager looked toward the Empress. “I know your heart is magnanimous. You relay a message to Chu Rui for me—tell him that only if he produces bloodline descendants can I close my eyes in death.”

The Empress hadn’t yet reacted.

Then she saw the Empress Dowager with lightning speed crash toward the resplendent golden pillar in the Imperial Study.

Then she collapsed softly to the ground.

She fell at Yun Chu’s feet, fresh blood gurgling out from her forehead.

Yun Ze grabbed Yun Chu and pulled her behind himself to shield her.

The Empress Dowager extended her hand toward the direction of the Imperial Study entrance. There stood over a dozen officials from the Censorate. Since entering, they hadn’t said a single word, because each one had long been stupefied—first the Empress Dowager forcing marriage and sentencing to death, immediately followed by Feng Pin’s severed head, immediately followed by Yun Silin presenting the confession, then followed by His Majesty wanting to apprehend Chu Rui… then suddenly, the Empress Dowager crashed into a pillar.

All of this had happened too quickly. The people present completely hadn’t reacted to what was happening.

“Qian’er…”

The Empress Dowager called out lowly.

Qian’er was the former Crown Prince’s name.

She seemed to see her son walking toward her.

A smile appeared on her face.

“Qian’er, Mother has finally seen you…”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes remained open throughout, the radiance in her eyes slowly dispersing completely, losing all vitality.

The Emperor just quietly watched as the Empress Dowager breathed her last.

With the Empress Dowager dead, those faction members couldn’t become a force, and Chu Rui had no heart for these things. The shadow the former Crown Prince had left him—at this moment, it finally dissipated.

“The Empress Dowager colluded with the Feng family and the Southern Yue Kingdom, intending rebellion. Imperial Guards, hear this order—immediately seal off Kunning Palace. Additionally, arrest the entire Feng family clan!” The Emperor was greatly pleased. “Pillar General Yun Silin has accomplished great merit. Appoint him as Grand Marshal. In three days, the entire nation shall celebrate together!”

Everyone present was completely shocked.

Pillar General was a first-rank position. The Grand Marshal official post was also first-rank. Starting from the previous dynasty, these two official posts were never conferred upon the same person, because the power was too great, threatening imperial authority and causing many unnecessary calamities.

Yet now, after several hundred years, His Majesty had actually revived the Grand Marshal position. Never mind whether it was an actual post or not, but at the very least, it proved the Emperor’s regard for the Yun family. This was the highest and most supreme honor!