Above the palace city, Tie Ci looked up.

A dark shadow descended from overhead.

The Haidongqing’s sharp cry pierced her eardrums, vaguely mixed with several parts resentment.

Tie Ci suddenly laughed with realization. “Moye, it’s you.”

She hadn’t expected Dan Ye’s older brother to actually come to the imperial capital. From the looks of it, Dan Ye had sent him. Calculating the time, he must have heard about the imperial capital’s affairs and dispatched Moye immediately.

The Haidongqing’s massive wings swept over her head, its dangling black talons both fitted with rings.

Tie Ci quickly removed one of the rings with sharp eyes and quick hands, slipping it onto her arm and raising her hand.

The Haidongqing folded its wings, but just as the two rings were about to connect, it suddenly took flight, brushing past Tie Ci’s arm.

Tie Ci: “…”

What’s with all this resentment?

It was just that Dan Ye didn’t want to expose his identity back then, forcing it to hide—what did that have to do with her?

Tie Ci felt very wronged.

She had no idea that Moye’s egg had once been eaten by her.

The Haidongqing swept over a second time, even faster.

Below, long spears whistled through the air like rain.

Tie Ci leaped up, stepped on the spear shafts, raised her arm, sparks flew, and with a “crack,” the two rings connected.

The next moment she was flying.

The guards below stared up in amazement.

Tie Ci reached out and grabbed several long spears, weighing them in her hand and making as if to throw them.

The guards below all retreated.

Tie Ci swung her arm, the long spears whistling out with violent, wailing wind sounds, then all spread out in mid-air, striking the plaza in a neat, orderly row, perfectly blocking the enemy’s formation.

The guards blocked by the row of long spears looked down at the spider web-like cracks slowly spreading across the blue stone ground.

Then they looked up at the black-haired woman suspended by one arm from the eagle’s claws in mid-air.

Tie Ci had already wiped away her disguise, showing her true face.

Both sides faced off, neither speaking.

After a moment, someone wanted to charge forward.

The lead guard at the front spread his arms wide, blocking his subordinates.

“We can’t reach her, no need to make trouble.”

“But we received strict orders not to allow anyone…”

“Old Kou, I remember three years ago when your mother brought your sister to the capital to seek refuge with you, they were nearly tricked into a brothel. The brothel had considerable backing, and when you went to retrieve them, you were beaten badly. Who was it that helped you resolve the matter in the end?”

The guard surnamed Kou lowered his head and said nothing.

“I don’t believe you didn’t see clearly who that is.” The guard captain slowly looked over his subordinates. “We can’t get involved in imperial family affairs. We only care about basic human conscience.”

The guards fell silent.

“Her Highness hasn’t struck first to kill us even at a time like this,” someone said.

He quietly sheathed his spear and stepped back.

More people began stepping back.

Tie Ci took a deep look at those below and flexed her arm.

The Haidongqing gave a long cry and flew away with beating wings.

When passing the second palace gate, soldiers on the city wall pointed upward and shouted in alarm.

The Haidongqing suddenly descended.

Immediately someone shot arrows.

Tie Ci backhanded the Haidongqing’s claw. “Stop fooling around!”

The sulking Haidongqing, seeing it couldn’t frighten Tie Ci, could only take flight again.

“Just as dramatic as your little brother.”

The Haidongqing only regretted it couldn’t spit on this woman.

The palace gates were shrinking, the palace city fell away beneath her feet. Tie Ci saw the dense mass of people below.

…

“Is this place also acceptable?”

The crowd instantly froze in rigid silence.

Tie Lin instinctively shuddered.

The ice-cold blade tip pressed against the man’s most vulnerable vital point—he could even feel the shape of the knife point.

Overwhelming terror came crashing down uncontrollably.

The next instant, someone below cried out in alarm.

They watched with their own eyes as Tie Lin’s lower garment slowly became wet in one spot, then grew larger and larger, spreading into a small map.

Unfortunately, Tie Lin had worn light-colored robes today, making that stain particularly obvious. Those standing at the very front of the steps could all see it.

The guards standing close could even smell the distinct odor of urine.

He had wet himself.

The crowd erupted.

Tie Lin closed his eyes, instantly wishing he could die right then and there.

It was over.

He would become the laughingstock of the world.

Even if he proved himself, could he still become crown prince?

Or perhaps, once he became crown prince, he should just kill all these disgusting commoners!

First, he would…

Prince Zhao, who had remained composed until now, let out a roar that echoed across the plaza.

“Zhu Yi!”

Hearing this, Zhu Yi quickly retreated, about to put on a face of “I’m so scared.”

Tie Lin, enraged to the point of madness, also suddenly had an inspiration at that moment. He snatched the dagger from Zhu Yi’s hand and plunged it into his own chest.

He cried out loudly, “Heaven-mandated and divinely bestowed, as a holy son, how can I tolerate humiliation from petty men!”

The crowd cried out in shock.

They watched with their own eyes as the blade entered Tie Lin’s chest, blood gushing wildly.

The shock of seeing him wet himself just moments before was instantly cast aside.

The Empress Dowager, who had angrily sat up, relaxed her back against the chair again, a trace of approval flashing in her eyes.

Not completely hopeless after all.

But the Emperor, who had originally shown some amusement, watched his face fall.

Prince Zhao rushed forward and said in a low voice, “Well done! Endure it!”

Tie Lin nodded, gritting his teeth as he pulled out the blade. Blood sprayed all over Prince Zhao’s head and face.

Prince Zhao didn’t even wipe it off, using both hands to tear open Tie Lin’s chest clothing, revealing the bloody wound on his chest.

His movements were rough, causing Tie Lin such pain he nearly fainted. He kept taking deep breaths while Prince Zhao had someone bring cloth to wipe Tie Lin’s wound.

They watched as the more it was wiped, the less blood flowed; the more it was wiped, the more clean skin appeared. That terrible wound actually began to slowly close before everyone’s eyes, within a few breaths, visibly healing.

The crowd’s cries of amazement nearly reached the clouds.

High Ancestor Emperor’s most celebrated deed was when he was once speared through the abdomen on the battlefield, his intestines spilling out. High Ancestor Emperor stuffed his intestines back into his belly and continued charging. The general fighting him watched those intestines return on their own and the wound heal, was so frightened he fell from his horse, and was killed by High Ancestor Emperor’s spear thrust.

This became a crucial battle that established the turning point for High Ancestor Emperor’s eternal foundation.

Legends were legends after all. With time, memories became dusty, and people listened as if they were merely legends, their authenticity not necessarily worth discussing. But today, they witnessed it with their own eyes in the plaza before Chengqian Hall.

Tie Lin raised the dagger high—blood still dripping from it—while his chest was already smooth as new.

Immediately, pre-arranged shills knelt and cried out, “Heaven-mandated and divinely bestowed, High Ancestor reborn!”

People’s minds were muddled, and they instinctively followed suit, kneeling and crying out, “High Ancestor reborn, heaven-mandated and divinely bestowed!”

Sound waves rolled like tides, surging toward the high hall. Bathed in admiring gazes, Tie Lin’s face glowed, and in his trance, he already saw himself adorned with the crown prince’s regalia and receiving the crown prince’s seal.

Prince Zhao sighed with satisfaction beside him, while the Empress Dowager and Prime Minister Xiao to the side both showed satisfied smiles.

This move by Tie Lin could be called turning the tide. With today’s worship and submission from the scholar-official class in the plaza, immediately establishing him as crown prince would follow naturally.

Several ministers from the Xiao faction immediately came forward crying out, “Heaven’s mandate cannot be defied—those who defy it invite misfortune! Please change the succession and establish Prince Zhao’s heir as Imperial Heir!”

One voice spoke and many responded. Even the gentry and commoners below felt that someone with such divine miracles, this reincarnation of High Ancestor, if not made crown prince, then who should be?

The crowd’s responsive voices were loud. When He Zi and others stepped forward to say something, they were all blocked by Xiao faction officials, their voices drowned out by the crowd in the plaza.

Tie Lin smiled even more smugly.

His gaze turned vengefully toward Zhu Yi, but he saw him frowning at the plaza. Following that direction, Tie Lin saw a child also kneeling in the crowd, looking up curiously at the hall above.

The child’s features were very similar to Zhu Yi’s, obviously from his nephew generation.

Tie Lin vaguely recalled hearing that this mountain head of Yueli Academy had originally been a loving couple, but later for some unknown reason suddenly divorced. The two had one son, born when Zhu Yi was over thirty, whom he treasured greatly. When Zhu Yi followed his teacher to the capital, he also brought his son along. This was probably that little child.

He looked down and saw the still-damp wet stain on his crotch, gave a cold laugh, and suddenly said, “Junior Minister Zhu said earlier that my manipulation of the whisk was inappropriate—indeed, manipulating such an object couldn’t demonstrate the heaven-granted talent bestowed upon me by High Ancestor. Better to manipulate something else fine, to make Junior Minister Zhu convinced.”

Prince Zhao frowned, about to say not to create complications, but Tie Lin had already impatiently reached out and waved toward the front.

A scream arose from the crowd as a child was suddenly pulled up, instantly rising several zhang off the ground. Tie Lin laughed loudly, “Seeing this little brother is quite curious about the precious hall, I’ll fulfill your wish and let you see clearly!”

The five or six-year-old child, suddenly lifted off the ground and suspended in mid-air, was so frightened he screamed and flailed his hands and feet. Zhu Yi looked up, his face changing dramatically. “An’er!”

He hurriedly ran down from the hall to catch him, nearly tripping.

Seeing Zhu Yi about to reach him, Tie Lin waved his hand and pulled the child sideways again. The child let out another scream.

Tie Lin’s smile deepened. Watching Zhu Yi look up with arms outstretched, chasing back and forth, he felt gratified.

Scream then, cry then, wet yourself with fear—that would be even better.

This is the retribution your father brought upon you.

Officials, gentry, and commoners in the plaza all looked up, both amazed that Tie Lin could actually manipulate such a large child, and feeling he was flying too high.

The shills immediately flattered extravagantly: “His Highness the heir’s talent abilities truly have no equal in this world.”

“Exactly, exactly. The iron clan’s throne has always only been passed to those with talent abilities. The current Crown Princess has still not awakened her talent abilities—how can she be worthy of the great position? Previously, because no one in this generation of the imperial clan inherited talent abilities, we let it be. But now that His Highness the heir is clearly High Ancestor Emperor reborn, naturally this is Heaven’s chosen selection, what all hope for!”

At these words, many officials nodded.

He Zi said, “Who says the Imperial Crown Princess has no talent abilities?”

“What, is the Grand Tutor going to use those few fabricated storybooks to prove the Crown Princess also has talent abilities?” someone loudly mocked. “As they say, hearing is false but seeing is true. If the Grand Tutor disagrees, have the Crown Princess come and demonstrate!”

“Yes, yes, for the previous sixteen years, no matter how she was questioned, our Crown Princess never once demonstrated talent abilities. Now after going out to train for one year, she suddenly has talent abilities—truly a miracle, a miracle indeed!”

Tie Lin had been paying attention to this side. Hearing this, he interjected, “Those six-volume works are flattering praise, exaggerated with writing. Most likely a group of despicable literati who received benefits and wave flags and shout for certain people—their faces ugly and their intentions sinister. The records contain many exaggerated falsehoods, yet the details are extremely delicate, obviously certain people in court must have…”

His thoughts were focused on attacking Zhu Yi, who had presided over writing the storybooks. He forgot he was still controlling a person, then heard people in the plaza cry out in alarm.

He saw those who had been agreeing with him, arguing with He Zi and others, and various officials watching the plaza suddenly all turn their heads to look ahead. Someone cried out, “Above!”

Above? Above what?

Isn’t that the Zhu family boy I put up there?

Only then did Tie Lin remember he was still manipulating someone. He hastily turned his head just in time to see the child suddenly falling while cries of alarm rose like a tide in the plaza.

Some rushed toward the child, others pointed ahead. Tie Lin hastily reached out trying to catch the child from a distance again. As his gaze lifted, he saw a dark shadow charging toward them.

It seemed to be a bird…

There was also a person below the bird.

That dark shadow rushed close in an instant—it was a giant eagle with wings like iron and golden eyes.

From its talons, also like forged iron, hung a person. Against the light, they could only see the person’s slender form, long legs and narrow waist, approaching with the wind, robes fluttering, every fold displaying a heroic bearing.

She came riding the wind, descending from the clouds—

Tie Lin’s heart skipped a beat. His hand loosened, and he immediately forgot about rescuing the child.

The child fell like a kite with its string cut.

He Zi ran wildly, Zhu Yi shouted loudly, countless people rushed in that direction, but unfortunately the child had been suspended too high and pulled to the center of the plaza. People crowded together, and there were eunuchs responsible for order whipping people and not allowing disorder in the formation. Zhu Yi and others kept being tripped by the crowd and couldn’t reach the child in time.

Zhu Yi suddenly fell to his knees.

But He Zi stood firm facing the sky and shouted loudly, “Your Highness!”

High above, the person hanging from the eagle’s claws suddenly pressed her arm. With a “click,” she released the clasp and fell.

Everyone cried out.

Then their vision blurred, as if seeing a long black line streak past in an instant, or perhaps it was just an afterimage left on their pupils, too fast to be captured. The next instant, the child’s screaming stopped abruptly.

The next instant after that, His Majesty the Emperor, who had been listless all along, suddenly stood up. “Ci’er!”

The crowd roared.

The Imperial Crown Princess had come!

She had actually rushed here!

Countless people widened their eyes and saw that on the high platform of the hall stood a tall young woman.

She faced away from the crowd, holding the child in her arms, her hair bound in a high ponytail fluttering strand by strand in the wind.

The giant eagle folded its wings and landed beside her, but didn’t dare stand parallel, instinctively stepping aside and slightly bowing its neck.

The Imperial Crown Princess casually patted the giant eagle’s head. Everyone watched as the giant eagle’s expression said “don’t touch me” but didn’t dare move away.

The Imperial Crown Princess bowed slightly toward the Emperor, and also bowed properly toward the Empress Dowager without failing in etiquette. She didn’t speak, simply turned around efficiently.

Many ministers and subjects of Great Qian were seeing this Imperial Crown Princess—who had once been mediocre but became legendary within a year—with their own eyes for the first time.

Seeing her in that moment was like seeing sunlight emerge from clouds, a bright moon rise over the sea, a bright pearl born from a pure white shell, coral displaying myriad forms in the blue sea.

If previously in their lives there had been various definitions and disputes about beauty and nobility, at this moment they all formed consensus.

Right at this moment, in the bright flowing glances of the person before their eyes, in her slightly smiling lips, in her open and broad brow.

Tie Ci didn’t look at those below. She handed the child to Zhu Yi who rushed up, casually pushed him back, saying, “You all stand far away, lest the lightning strike and implicate you.”

Then she turned toward Tie Lin.

Tie Lin had just recovered his senses. Meeting her gaze, he instinctively stepped back.

But his back hit someone. He turned around to see his father’s iron-blue face.

Further away were the equally unpleasant faces of the Empress Dowager, Assistant Minister Xiao, and others.

Even Prime Minister Rong, who had been dozing all along, finally opened his eyes and looked him up and down, his gaze containing scrutiny and contemplation.

Such a gaze made him shiver and feel uneasy.

“Don’t fear her! Use object manipulation against her, crush her arrogance! Strike first!” Prince Zhao said behind him. “Everyone is watching!”

Tie Lin suddenly awakened and reached out his hand.

Tie Ci suddenly said, “Treating human lives as grass, showing no care for the people, vindictive over every slight, frivolous and cowardly—if someone like you became Crown Prince—”

She suddenly reached up and plucked at the sky.

At this moment, layered clouds hung low, purple-black edged, seeming about to rain but not yet raining.

People’s gazes instinctively followed that slender finger.

They saw a thread of golden light, as if pulled from the cloud layers by that finger, flowing down along the edge of the clouds, flowing into her fingertip. She reached out and casually pointed at Tie Lin.

“Crack!” came an explosive sound, golden light flashed.

Prince Zhao, who had been close behind his son encouraging him, instinctively covered his eyes and retreated sharply, shouting loudly, “Imperial Crown Princess, what are you doing!”

Tie Ci ignored him, saying unhurriedly, “I suppose lightning would strike you like this?”

Everyone cried out. Some widened their eyes, some dared not open them. The Empress Dowager screamed, “Tie Ci, how dare you strike at Tie Lin—”

Someone rushed close. Tie Ci didn’t even look, kicking the person away with one foot. They tumbled off the high platform with a crash.

In the midst of all the chaos, only Tie Lin made no sound. A faint burnt smell spread across the high platform. Everyone was shocked, thinking, “It’s over, this killed him!”

Some were terrified, some despaired, some wondered how to use this to convict Tie Ci of great crimes, some—

Someone finally saw clearly what Tie Lin looked like.

The smoke was just a faint wisp, dissipating in an instant. Tie Lin stood on the platform, his hair scattered and broken into short hair, every strand standing up and smoking. His facial expression was numb, his pupils unfocused, and saliva uncontrollably drooled from the corner of his mouth.

He had obviously been stunned by this not-particularly-powerful heavenly thunder.

After all, physical impact was secondary—the sudden heavenly thunder was more of a mental blow and intimidation. No matter what kind of customs and culture, “struck by heavenly thunder” was never a good omen.

He was so stunned he couldn’t even scream.

Tie Ci glanced at him lightly and again reached up to draw from the clouds. “Or perhaps like this?”

Crack! Lightning flashed again. Prince Zhao’s hair also stood up as he screamed, “Tie Ci, you want to exterminate us completely—”

This time Tie Lin reacted. He screamed and fell to his knees with a thud. His robes split neatly in half as he knelt, revealing his undergarments and his wet, continuously expanding pants.

He had obviously wet himself again.

The ministers, gentry, and commoners below couldn’t see his pants but could see his kneeling action. Momentarily excited, they instinctively pushed forward. The eunuchs with whips cracked them like firecrackers but no one paid attention.

Tie Ci glanced at Tie Lin kneeling before her and reached up again. “Or perhaps like this…”

“Stop striking!” Tie Lin shouted loudly. “Stop striking! I won’t compete with you anymore! I won’t compete with you anymore, alright!”