She had once been a peony blooming on the branch but was ground into mud, trampled into dust.

In her youth, she had a mutual love with her cousin. Both sets of parents were delighted with the match, having no thoughts of seeking the dragon’s favor.

It was the Late Emperor. The Late Emperor had fallen for a lowly palace maid, knowing he couldn’t marry her. So he meticulously selected a virtuous lady from a noble family. For his selfish desires, without asking for her consent, with one imperial edict she became the mistress of the imperial harem, envied by all.

Imperial favor, the Emperor’s command – who dared defy?

She had no choice but to sever ties with her beloved. She thought that as a daughter, since her family had given her wealth and education, her parents had given her care and warmth, she should repay them. Upon entering the palace, she strived to be a magnanimous, virtuous, and obedient Empress.

She didn’t seek to be the Late Emperor’s equal companion, nor did she mind whether he loved her. As long as he gave her enough dignity, she could manage the imperial harem well for him and bring glory to her family.

Unfortunately, the Late Emperor went back on his word. He had asked her to take care of his beloved, to help elevate his loved one’s position. How much effort had she put into helping that palace maid become a Noble Consort? Initially, the Late Emperor did reward her – she had two legitimate sons, and her father and brothers received important positions. Her clan gradually rose to prominence because of her.

Father had once worriedly told her with gravity: “Extreme prosperity leads to decline.”

Firmly believing the Late Emperor to be an honorable man who kept his word, grateful for his deep affection and righteousness, she never doubted him. Her ignorance and naivety devastated her clan – nine generations were slaughtered, all due to her sins!

From the moment the Late Emperor turned on her overnight, she hated everything about him, including her two children!

Their features all carried shadows of the Late Emperor. She didn’t like looking at them – if she looked too long, she couldn’t help but feel murderous!

“You’re truly terrifying,” Shen Xihe watched the Empress Dowager, who had fallen into a possessed-like frenzy, her eyes seemingly bloodshot.

“I’m terrifying?” The Empress Dowager laughed, a laugh both mocking and strange. “My terrifying nature was forged by their heartless torment. How could someone like you, who grew up sheltered from storms, untroubled and pampered, never experiencing hardship or torture, possibly understand?”

To this, Shen Xihe had no rebuttal, so she remained silent.

Meanwhile in the great hall, led by Mo Yu and Tian Yuan, all of the Empress Dowager’s people who had rushed in were executed. Mo Yu’s sword was now at the Empress Dowager’s throat.

The Empress Dowager remained seated regally, maintaining her imperial dignity. She smiled at Shen Xihe: “Do you dare kill me?”

“I won’t kill you,” Shen Xihe replied calmly. It wasn’t her place to do so anyway.

“Hahaha, girl, if you don’t kill me now, you’ll regret it later,” the Empress Dowager laughed with deep meaning.

“It seems the Empress Dowager has another move planned,” Shen Xihe felt wary of the deeply scheming Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager merely smiled without speaking. Seemingly ignoring Mo Yu’s sword at her throat, she turned to pick up a teacup from the nearby table, brushed the lid, and lowered her head to taste the tea.

An eerie silence filled Qinzheng Hall. Consort Su and others created a blank space with their commotion, while the increasingly massive sounds of killing from outside became clearer.

The Empress Dowager had built up considerable influence over the years. If she hadn’t been at her peak when information was accidentally leaked, allowing Xiao Huayong to almost completely uproot the Rouge Case, by today, they might not have had any chance of victory against her.

She had replaced most of the palace personnel, and her influence had infiltrated both the Five Cities Command and the Forbidden City Guard. The palace was tightly surrounded. Xiao Changqing and others who rushed in after hearing the death knell took a full hour just to force open the palace gates, suffering heavy casualties.

Xiao Changqing was the first to breach the city gate, leading troops from Vermillion Bird Gate in, killing many before meeting up with forces from the Eastern Palace. The commander reported: “Prince Xin, the Crown Princess is in Qinzheng Hall. The officials who entered the palace first are all being held hostage outside Qinzheng Hall.”

Just then, a gust of wind brought the clear sound of bells. Xiao Changqing suddenly felt a headache as chaotic voices seemed to surge in waves through his mind, as if countless people were arguing around him, making his face contort.

“Prince Xin, you…”

The commander noticed something wrong with Xiao Changqing and immediately moved forward in concern, but unexpectedly, Xiao Changqing’s eyes suddenly fixed, filled with murderous intent, and his blood-stained sword swept toward the commander.

The commander sensed the killing intent but was too late to dodge. Xiao Changqing’s sword was too swift and fierce, cleanly severing an arm from the armpit.

This scene happened to be witnessed by Xiao Changying, who had arrived a step behind after breaching the palace gates. He was shocked: “Brother—”

His body reacted faster than his mind, quickly drawing an arrow and shooting at Xiao Changqing’s raised sword, giving the commander a chance to escape from Xiao Changqing’s continuous attacks.

The commander’s men had already engaged with Xiao Changqing’s forces. Xiao Changying rushed forward to Xiao Changqing: “Brother, you’re…”

Xiao Changying’s words stopped abruptly when he met Xiao Changqing’s gaze.

He had seen such eyes filled with hatred and coldness before – outside Mother’s palace chambers the day they escorted Mother out of the palace, Brother had looked just like this. He suddenly felt his limbs go cold, frozen in place.

But Xiao Changqing had already thrust his sword at him. A great force pulled Xiao Changying away, but the cold blade still grazed his arm, splitting flesh and drawing blood.

“Your Highness, something’s wrong with Prince Xin!” You Wenjun’s voice sounded in Xiao Changying’s ear.

Xiao Changying turned to see You Wenjun dressed as a junior general: “Why did you follow?”

“Mother told me to come,” You Wenjun lowered his eyes.

Xiao Changying’s expression changed slightly, but this wasn’t the time to discuss such matters. He turned to see Xiao Changqing now surrounded by the commander’s men. Though still his brother, he emanated an unfamiliar and bloodthirsty aura.

Just then, Xiao Changying noticed his men starting to kill each other.

Some were his guards, others were his brother’s guards.

He suddenly turned back and saw Xiao Changqing waving a command flag.

His heart raced – he had never doubted his brother, and neither had the Crown Princess. All the troops deployed this time had been arranged by Xiao Changqing. Not only did his forces include his brother’s men, but the Twelfth Brother and Duke Xie’s forces did too!

“Keep yourself safe,” Xiao Changying pushed You Wenjun aside.

He quickly raised his sword to stop Xiao Changqing, but his brother seemed unwilling to engage with him. Xiao Changying held back in every move, and Xiao Changqing quickly drove him back, waving for many men to surround him.

Xiao Changqing held his sword, blood gathering along the blade and collecting at its tip, dropping slowly, leaving a trail of blood marks along his path.

The commander, gravely wounded, also noticed Xiao Changqing’s strange behavior and immediately ordered all forces to stop him.